Business Transaction
by MissFaberrySuarez
Summary: AU: 28 years of loneliness culminate in Regina hiring a blonde "escort" in Boston. Pre curse breaking.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **So, pre curse breaking and Regina can cross the town line. Enjoy :)

* * *

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

As July swept in through the uneventful town of Storybrooke Maine, Regina Mills found herself enrolled in the habit of sleeping with the French doors of her balcony yanked open. Every night she'd slide into her overpriced mulberry silk sheets, lay on her side and watch the moonlight bounce off of her curtains. She liked how the fabric swayed with the breeze and softly twirled at the edges, singing her to sleep.

That night was the same as any, waves of heat sneaking into her master suite, draping her body with the delights of an early summer and waltzing the curtains through the hours. Only this time, the town's mayor was not amongst the usual puddle of sheets, instead, she stood with her heels quivering on the mat that covered the bathroom's floor, facing the reflection of a broken woman that she no longer recognized as herself.

She was ready.

Boston seemed like a far enough place, distant enough at least for no one to recognize her, though she knew it was impossible. It would be the very first time she'd step outside her comfort zone, after all, what's more comforting than a town that's entirely your creation?

She took a long scornful look at herself, placing doubts over her revealing cleavage and the way the black fabric of her dress clung to her curves to expose her for how she really perceived herself. Regina had to rip her eyes from the mirror and march out of the bathroom or she feared her reflection would swallow her whole.

It was nearly six pm and it was still a two hour drive until Boston. Two hours for her to marinate in the idea of what she was about to do, of what level she had stoop to, of what it _meant_.

Music helped. She turned on the radio once she entered her Benz and let the random songs tune out the scolding in her brain through the whole trip.

Regina pulled up at the hotel and sat in her car for a good five minutes, simply eyeing the well-dressed people smoking by the sidewalk. Maybe the hotel was too fancy. Maybe it didn't matter. Maybe she needed air.

Yes, air seemed like a good idea.

With that, the Mayor exited her car into the warm, heavy night, even heavier than back in Storybrooke, she noted, and stood at the entrance shifting her weight from foot to foot, heel to heel. She couldn't keep her eyes from wandering around, constantly trying to spot golden and red. That's all she remembered from the description and it scared her now to think of the hundreds of possibilities.

She had her stare fixed on the hotel's entrance when she felt a light tap on her shoulder and a throat being cleared.

"Huh, hi."

She spun around and saw only long, golden locks falling over bare shoulders; her jaw dropped and only after a second did she trail her glare up to meet emerald eyes beaming at her.

"Hello." She hoarsely murmured, unable to gather a proper thought.

"I'm Emma. Emma Swan." Her lips matched her eyes and pulled into a smile. "Your- you know…" She lowered her voice into a whisper. "Your escort."

"Yes, I figured." Regina tensed and pursed her lips before asserting. "Regina Mills." Lack of discretion aside, Emma turned out to be… surprisingly breathtaking. Her skin seemed soft and light, her red dress traced her body to end way high above the knees and she was at least five years younger than Regina.

"Shall we?" The blonde offered her hand and Regina glanced at it, unsure of what to do. Seemed awfully intimate, even for what it was.

She nodded but ignored the gesture, walking past Emma and directly towards the entrance.

They quickly checked in, Regina constantly looking around, feeling as if everyone's stare burned through her skin, judging, wondering, guessing.

Talking.

_Whispering_.

God, she hated it.

She was relieved to find that the elevator arrived empty and she entered it, followed by Emma, quickly pressing the 12th floor button.

Awkward silence set it between them, but what was there to say? That she felt so crushingly lonely that she left her kid with his teacher and driven to Boston to spend a night with someone she had never met? That she felt more than ashamed for having to _pay_ for company? That she-

"So, is this your first time?" Emma sliced through the silence only to make it worse.

Regina clenched her jaw and nodded. "Isn't it obvious?"

Emma chuckled and took a quick glance at the older woman. "Really obvious, actually. Just relax."

"Easy for you to say, you've probably done this countless times."

"Ouch."

Regina glimpsed at Emma and rolled her eyes. "Have I hurt your feelings, Miss Swan?"

The blonde let out a full blown laugh. "Miss Swan? Call me Emma."

The elevator dinged and Regina was the first to swoosh out, leaving a strong trail of apple scent to travel up Emma's nostrils.

She was quick to open the door to the room and slam it after the blonde got in.

"Woah, this is a _huge_ room." Beamed Emma, immediately sitting on the edge of the king sized bed and bouncing.

"It's worth its value." Regina fiddled with her hands and stood rooted to the spot.

The blonde ceased the jumping, froze on the woman in front of her and stood, piercing though her gaze as if she could read every word passing through her brain.

"Are you nervous?"

Regina chewed vigorously on the inside of her cheek, but kept the stern look. "I don't _do_ nervous."

"That's not the vibe I'm getting." Emma cocked an eyebrow. "You didn't specify what you wanted over the phone."

"That's because I don't want anything specific." Regina lifted her chin and uncrossed her arms. "Just the norm will suffice."

Emma slowly walked towards the Mayor, only stopping when she effectively melded into the woman's personal space, and felt uneasiness radiating off of her.

"I've had many clients, _Miss Mills._" The brunette could feel her warm breath tickling her cheeks. "You'll have to be a little more specific than that."

A shot of electricity shook Regina right to her core. She didn't know what made her feel more uncomfortable; the fact that Emma was incredibly close, or the fact that she hadn't been intimate in so long that she had forgotten the feeling of someone's warm breath against her skin.

"I think it's clear, Miss Swan." Her voice lowered and octave and Emma couldn't say she hated it. "_Sex_."

"Well then," Emma's devilish grin didn't go unnoticed by. "Let's get right on it."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Would you guys like me to continue? I have a lot of ideas for this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Two**

"_Well then," Emma's devilish grin didn't go unnoticed by. "Let's get right on it."_

Regina's breath got a sturdy grip on her throat once she felt the blonde's heat bouncing off her own body.

_Too close._

God, had the oxygen in the room evaporated?!

Emma inched closer, Regina's back flushed against the wall and the light went off. Must have hit the switch. Even under the dim moonlight, she could see the blonde's bright emeralds glimmering at her, as if defying her, pulling her into what she knew there was no turning back from. Emma cocked her head to the side, slid the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip and leaned in, despite the odd look on the older woman's face, expecting to meet her mouth.

Instead, she felt the smooth skin of Regina's cheek.

"Don't."

She backed away, but only enough to be able to lock eyes with the brunette. "Don't what?"

"Don't kiss me." Regina murmured, gulping down a breath.

Emma chuckled and her eyes dropped to Regina's lips. "Why? Afraid you won't be able to resist my undeniable charm?"

"You ought to respect my wishes, Miss Swan." She pursed her lips.

"Lady," Emma inched closer again. "Call me _Emma_."

It was impossible to ignore how tense Regina was, her hands curled into fists by her sides, a vein had visibly inflated across her forehead, her breath seemed ragged, though it could mean something _different_, but judging on how reluctant she seemed about the whole thing, Emma seriously doubted it.

Fine, so there would be no kissing. Considering the bizarreness of many requests she'd had in the past, she was rather thankful that she wouldn't have to fulfill some idiotically disgusting life-long fantasy. Again.

Maybe if she went slowly, a touch here and there, maybe she'd ease into it. She adventured a hand on Regina's upper arm and got no reaction. Then slid it up to her collarbones, crook of her neck, nape then tangled her fingers through dark hair.

The brunette used all the strength in her body not to push her ten feet away and leave a Regina-shaped hole in the middle of the door. What was wrong with her? She _wanted_ this; she spent weeks arguing with herself, _should I, shouldn't why, what if Henry finds out and what would he think?!_ Now that she had another person's hands roaming about her body it all seemed to come back to suffocate her.

God, now her other hand was on her waist, pulling, tugging, _wanting_. Wanting? Does an escort even _feel_ anything?

"Wait, wait, wait." She panted; she hadn't even realized how rushed her breath had become.

Emma pulled back entirely this time. _Just when I was getting into it_.

"What now?"

"Too fast- I just- I've _never_ done this."

Emma widened her eyes. Oh, no. "Wait, are you…" Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "A virgin?"

"What, of course not, don't be absurd!"

"Thank god, because I've been through that and trust me, that is not-"

"I mean, depends on how you look at it. I'm not a virgin, _virgin_, I've _had_ sex. Just not… with a woman."

"Oh."

Regina regretted her confession as soon as Emma's stunned expression splashed over her. "Is that a problem, Miss Swan?"

Emma put on her best "noooo-of-course-not!" face, swallowed her past experiences and warmly smiled. "No, _Miss Mills_. "She chuckled. "I'll just have to be gentle."

Regina let out a shaky breath she had been holding, leaned further back into the wall and slowly reached for Emma's stomach, letting her fingertips slither down until she felt her underwear's waistband through the thin fabric of her dress, hooking her index finger on it and tugging.

The blonde took it as a green light and regained their proximity, pressing her torso against Regina's; she could feel their breasts smashed together and the strong apple scent that emanated from the older woman's hair filled her with a sudden urge to burrow her nose in its essence.

Of the few women Emma had been with, Regina was far the most beautifully enticing one. She had to admit, the whole "don't touch me" attitude was somewhat of a turn on; having to be gentle, cautious, having to think and re-think each touch. The others were easy, far easier for her to take pleasure in it, it became too robotic, too cold, too much of a job task rather than a pleasant evening.

She liked to _work_ for it. And with Regina Mills, she had to put every bit of effort into easing her to bed.

"Do you want to talk?" Emma purred as she slithered her manicured fingertips down the woman's side and let her warm breath tickle her neck.

Regina suppressed a gasp. "Seems rather inappropriate to chit-chat in this situation, doesn't it, Miss Swan?"

The blonde sniggered. "I meant dirty talk. Sometimes it helps."

"No." Regina shut her eyes and let the sensation of Emma's lips ghosting her pulse point course through her spine. "I don't _do_ dirty talk."

"There are a lot that you apparently don't _do_, Miss Mills," She placed a faint peck on the spot. "But I'm guessing you're only depriving yourself of things you think it's not _appropriate_ to feel for someone like you."

Regina's stomach tightened and she let an almost inaudible whimper slip from the back of her throat. "Someone like me?"

"Mmhmm." Emma pressed her lips tighter against the brunette's neck and felt the rapid thumping of her heart. She smirked and wondered how much more it would take to make it jump out of her chest. "You know, a sophisticated, high-class woman like you." This time, she adventured a small lick and dug her nails deeper into the woman's hips. "I don't even understand why you need this; you must have people lining up by your house."

Regina shook out a laugh. "You'd be surprise at how untrue that is." She let a deep groan escape as she felt teeth sinking into her bare shoulder.

_Oh god_. She could no longer keep her hands from wandering about the small of the blonde's back and, with a yank; she pulled Emma's body until there wasn't a sliver of air between them.

"Mmh, that's it." The younger woman breathed and melted into the hold.

"Don't ruin it."

Emma mumbled something against dark hair and pushed harder against the brunette's torso, flushing them completely.

God, that woman was awfully compelling. She wasn't sure if because of the contrast between her reluctance and seeming moments of courage, or if because of how impossibly poised she looked.

Either way, it seemed to be happening faster now. The blonde had rushed her touches into full on palming accompanied by light kisses and nibbles along the length of her neck, as the brunette's hips grinded against hers in the most languid way possible, causing liquid heat to course deliciously course through her core.

Regina could do this, she was doing it.

Before she could recover from feeling Emma's bare leg slipping between her thighs, the blonde drew her from the wall and turned in order to shove her to the bed, letting her body tumble carelessly atop the mattress.

Regina leaned on her elbows. Alright, the bed, she could do the bed thing. She'd done it so many times before, except, never _willingly_.

But this was no time to dwell on past issues, though it was the one thing that never quite seemed to hush midst scattered thoughts. It stung, even.

It wasn't true; she'd done it freely, even if drunk out of her own mind and with the only young man around aside from the one in a coma. Graham was a good guy, he meant no harm, but, somehow, she'd always end the night sobbing in a scrabbling mess of sheets, apple cider and regrets.

In a soft move, Emma's body slithered between her legs, which forced the hem of her dress to roll up to her hips, revealing the black lace covering her throbbing center and she felt the immediate need to cover herself. She would've had if she didn't have a woman between her thighs.

Even if feeling exposed, Regina couldn't deny she was on fire.

Her fingers traced random patterns across Emma's back as the blonde created a sluggish rhythm in thrusting her pelvic against Regina's, at the same time leaving pressing kisses along her jaw, down her neck, through her shoulder and then between her breasts, favoring the spot closest to her nipples without actually getting there.

Then she felt it. A wandering hand moving between their bodies, touching her abdomen, tip-toeing down until the hem of her dress, touching, feeling Regina's skin rising under her fingertips.

The brunette dig her nails so hard on the blonde's waist she was sure she'd drawn blood. Her heart thumped loud enough to overshadow her own ragged breaths, the electrical current flickering at her nerves only intensified the growing flame that burned her from the inside out and damn it, her lungs had surely consumed every last bit of oxygen left in the room.

The hand touched lower and she whimpered, groaned, moan, she didn't know, didn't care. Her grip on Emma's hips tightened. The blonde head buried deep in her neck rose and stared right through her, those emerald eyes pushed so hard against her defenses that she almost heard them crack.

Rose lips hovered dangerously above hers. They were _there_, right there and the only thing she had to do was to capture them. But she couldn't. How could she? Sex was one thing; intimacy was another and she was so conscience of that fact that the mere thought of feeling another mouth against her felt scarier than having her own heart ripped out. And who better to know about ripped out hearts other than Regina Mills?

God, and that _hand_. It toyed with the waistband of her black lacy panties as if they could be torn in a second. The thought lodged in her stomach and she sunk her teeth in her bottom lip. The heat of Emma's body against her seemed to have set camp between her thighs and she wanted nothing more than the blonde to ease the burning.

"Is this okay?" Emma whispered and the soft breath caressed Regina's lips.

"Yes." The brunette nodded, but Emma didn't miss the hesitation pouring from her eyes.

"I'm going to touch you, alright?"

"Yes." It was more of a shaky breath than a word.

Though there was barely any light, Regina could see the hint of a smile. Then she couldn't see anything anymore as Emma had her fingers touching the inside of her thigh, lightly moving upwards until she barely grazed the center of the brunette's panties.

Then she moaned, laced her fingers through golden locks and tugged.

Emma gently hooked her fingers on the fabric and pulled it down Regina's legs, always checking if there wasn't a slap going her way, only to return to the spot, release an eager sigh and let her fingertips lightly touch smooth folds.

"Fu-" Regina's jaw slackened and her eyes slammed shut.

Emma barely chuckled. "It's okay to cuss."

The brunette stroke her nape. "Hush."

It was only when she dug her fingers deeper into the sleek heat did she feel it. "You're so wet…"

Regina felt her cheeks light up into a thousand shades of red and was rather thankful for the lack of illumination. "One would think you'd be used to it by now."

"I've never really paid attention," She murmured so close to Regina's mouth she might as well have hummed it into her. "Until _now_."

The mayor did have to fight every impulse that just screamed at her to kiss the girl. "What made you pay attention this time?"

Emma dwelled on it for longer than three seconds and then whispered. "I'm not sure."

Regina parted her lips to respond but couldn't once she felt the two fingers move slightly upwards to find the hard nub that screamed for attention. She groaned and the touch lowered to her entrance.

That's when her stomach turned, her heart nearly skipped two full beats and her mind raced back into the thoughts she'd been hoping not to pop up.

But they did, and in full force. So, when she felt the fingers pressuring to enter her, her hand flew south and grasped Emma's wrist just in time for her to retreat.

"Don't."


	3. Chapter 3

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Three**

"_Don't."_

Emma froze. "Oh- I, I'm sorry- I thought-"

"I know." Regina hardly whispered and dug her nails on Emma's already sore wrist. "I'm just not ready."

"I don't want to sound weird," Emma's lips pulled into a grin. "But you seem pretty ready to me. If you know what I mean."

Regina cringed, clenched her jaw and pulled the blonde's hand away from her, pushing up so Emma would climb out and she could finally breathe.

"This was a bad idea." She mumbled through gritted teeth.

Emma wasn't sure what to say, or if she even ought to say anything, fearing she'd only worsen the situation. Sure she liked a challenge, but she was starting to think this one surpassed her skills.

After a too long of a silence, she finally spoke. "Listen, let's go downstairs, grab a drink at the bar, hang out for a bit and then, if you're up for it, we could try again."

Regina had sat up and started fiddling with her hands on her lap, looking more like a ship wreck rather than a woman; her previous perfectly composed hair was now ruffled into different directions, her cheeks shone with redness that was starting to spread to the rest of her face, her eyes seemed dull and lifeless while her lips had swollen from nibbling on them.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "That would be pleasant, but I don't think I have the funds to keep you for another couple of hours."

Emma sniggered, scooted closer to Regina and placed her hands atop hers, soothingly running her thumbs across her knuckles to ease the fidgeting. "Do you actually think I'm charging you for this? We didn't do anything."

Regina immediately tensed and slid her hands from Emma's. "I hired you, dear, and I'm not one to go back on my deals." Her eyes fixed on the mattress.

The blonde made a mental note to keep her hands to herself. "Buy me a drink and we'll call it even."

* * *

The hotel bar, linked to the restaurant, transpired of elitists and small-portion overpriced food like salmon foam and main courses containing only one scallop. Regina loved it. Emma, however, felt completely out of her element. Though this wasn't the first high-class client she'd had – and certainly not the first five star hotel she'd been in – somehow, she never managed to grow accustomed to the ambiance.

They sat on the tall chairs at the counter each holding a glass of bourbon.

"This is not my usual order." Regina admitted and grinned at the beverage, adjusting the hem of her dress as the image of it rolling up her waist flashed by her.

Emma sipped her drink. "Wait, let me guess." She turned to face the brunette and ran her gaze up and down the woman. "Scotch on the rocks."

Regina shook her head and chuckled.

"Neat?"

"Wrong."

Emma cocked her head and bit her bottom lip. "Oh, so you're more of a red wine girl?"

"You're not so good at reading people are you, Miss Swan?" Regina ran a hand through her now recomposed hair.

"The best, actually." Emma coaxed. "Just can't quite read _you_."

Regina averted the blonde's stare and failed to suppress a smile. "Apple cider."

Emma raised an eyebrow, glared rather confusingly at the brunette and then her expression widened as if a light bulb had lit up in her brain. "I should've guessed by your shampoo."

"You smelled my _shampoo_?"

"Yeah, but not in a creepy way! I mean-" The blonde mumbled, smiling. "It smells like apples, I noticed it in the bedroom, but didn't want to ruin the moment by saying something out of context."

Regina couldn't say she was used to having someone noticing little details about her; then again, they _were_ in the same bed, it's not that the blonde had any interest in her details, they were just in a close proximity, so it was only normal for her to note.

Wanting to avoid the subject, Regina spoke. "May I ask what got into this business?"

Emma brought the glass to her lips and gulped, obviously uncomfortable as she crossed her legs and stared through her knees. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

She sighed. "Let's just say I lost a bet and didn't have the money to own up to it." Another sip. "I was desperate and the pay was good. Really good. So, I ended up staying full time."

Regina asked a few more questions, then ended up letting the blonde speak for three more drinks. She went on about her usual ability to read people, telling her that she always knew when someone lied to her. Then, the brunette had sniggered and gloated about how she managed to keep her thoughts and feelings private. Emma also told her about one specific client that had a raging fetish that consisted on her standing on his genitals whilst wearing heels. They had a laugh over a fourth drink and, as good as she was at holding her liquor, Regina had to admit she was a lot more than just light headed and her good judgment was slowly burrowing to the back of her mind.

"And I swear-I swear on my life! That he-he would scream out in pleasure every time I stepped on his junk." Emma drunk the remaining liquid on her glass and had to regain balance or she'd fallen flat on her face.

Regina joined her and finished off her drink, trying not to choke from the laughter erupting from the back of her throat. "I hope the money was enough to outshine the trauma, dear."

"You'd think, wouldn't you? But one doesn't simply forget the night where a guy begged you to squish his balls."

The mayor chuckled again and noticed that her hand had somehow flown to the blonde's bare thigh, though the girl didn't seem to notice. Or didn't seem to mind.

Emma gradually quieted into the silence that eased their conversation until she leaned forward towards Regina, cocked an eyebrow and softly whispered. "Are you drunk?"

The brunette lowered her eyes to Emma's mouth. "Yes, Miss Swan."

"You don't look drunk."

"I try my best at keeping my posture; I'm secretly drunk out of my own mind and, quite frankly, surprised that I haven't jumped on you."

Emma could hardly contain the groan that knocked at her throat. She couldn't pinpoint what was it about that woman that she found exhilarating, but _god_ she yearned to get a taste of that delicious skin and to run her tongue over-

"How about we move this upstairs?" Regina's voice sounded hoarse, husky even, coated with an obvious hint of lust.

Even drunk, Emma wasn't about to go through the anguish of being denied release, especially after so long. "Are you sure? I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortab-"

"Miss Swan," Regina asserted, straightened her back and slid from her chair as if she were on a freaking photo-shoot. "Accept the invitation."

Emma pondered and, after a few seconds, kicked her best judgment to the curb. "Let's go."

They practically skipped to the elevator and the blonde pushed the button at least six times before it dinged and the doors revealed that it was empty.

Regina showed her perfect set of teeth and pushed Emma in, thrusting her against the mirror and thanking herself for choosing a room on high floor.

The blonde wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, pressed their torsos together and instinctively reached for lips to find a cheek again.

Regina might've been drunk, but the darkest corner of her mind kept her aware.

So, she dove into the girl's neck, as if apologizing for not meeting her kiss, and nibbled her way up that long neck to press a peck on Emma's ear lobe.

The blonde felt on fire again, something she hadn't felt _in years_, not since she had love in her life, not since she actually felt something for the people she had intimacy with, and suddenly, those hands on her back, those lips on her neck, those ragged breaths and that heavenly smell seemed to reach into her ribcage and grab a tight hold on her heart, pumping life into it like she'd forgotten how to be alive. Until _that_ moment.

Regina released sweet, delicious sounds into her skin as she tried her hardest to meld their bodies, to touch everywhere, to feel _everything_, to take in a moment Emma knew would never happen again.

But, _fuck_, Regina was drunk, and so was she, otherwise the brunette wouldn't have been this forward, wouldn't be pulling at her dress, tugging her thighs nor biting every bit of skin she found.

Emma knew it, she knew it and she loathed every bit of herself for what she was about to do.

"Stop." She mumbled, wanting to seem strong, but feeling herself melting. "Regina, stop, stop, you're drunk, you're not thinking straight, you're going to regret this the same way you did before and you're going to feel broken because it was your first time and it's going to be my fault."

The brunette seemed to either ignore her, or was too wasted to give a damn. "Mmhmm."

"What does that mean, 'mmhmm', that I'm right?" Emma questioned, frantically trying to escape Regina's grasp once she noticed they were four floors away from theirs.

"Mmhmm."

"Then, stop."

So, she did. And her once lust-filled eyes now stared through Emma's as if she had been told there would be no presents under her Christmas tree.

The elevator dinged and they stood in silence until the doors closed again to find that it was going to go back down.

"You don't want your first time with a woman to be a drunken regret."

Regina pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. "But I'll pay you, what more do you need, Miss Swan?"

"Look, I don't know why, but there's something in me that just- never mind, just trust me. You'd feel like shit in the morning and I don't want my face to be a reminder of that time you had drunken sex with a woman." Emma could barely believe the words coming out of her own mouth, especially considering the burning ache that was silently killing her in between her thighs.

"Right." Was the cold response she got and she could literally see the bitterness seeping into the woman in front of her.

"I'm literally just worried abou-"

"No need for excuses, Miss Swan." Once again, the ding announced that they had reached the bottom floor and Regina rushed to leave the elevator. The blonde followed her close behind until they exited the hotel.

"Wait!" Emma caught up to her, reached for her purse and took a rectangle shaped paper out before stretching it to Regina. "It's my personal number. Take it."

The mayor eyed the card as if it had some sort of disease but reached for it and glared at the number before slipping into her purse.

"Call me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Regina had been eyeing the card for five days now, as if studying it, practically memorizing each individual number and letter. The name _Emma Swan_ was written so whimsically across the white paper, hovering above the words _bounty hunter_ in heavy bold. She'd been wondering about the title ever since the blonde had given her the card, but after the ridiculous amount of times she'd pulled it out of her pocket and burned her stare through it, the questions had significantly diminished.

All except one, of course.

Should she call?

Regina had even typed the number into her phone more often than she'd care to admit. Always ending up deleting the digits and shaking some sense into herself before shoving the damn device away from sight.

This time she drew the card from her pocket with every intention to rip it - and the blonde – from her life, until the oven dinged through the kitchen and she abandoned the task to carefully remove the pot roast she had so lovingly made for her and Henry.

She arranged the plates and quickly placed them on the dining room's table, knowing that her son would be home any minute from school.

So, Regina stripped from her apron, sat and waited. She waited for thirty minutes, actually, until the tiny buzzing of worrying grew into full on panicking and she decided to call Graham.

* * *

Five days and nothing. Emma couldn't say she was surprised, after the way their night had ended she would actually find it odd if Miss Mills decided to call. What was she thinking? Worrying about a _client_. A client she hadn't even had sex with.

Well, not on her account, at least

Emma had had two other appointments after Regina. Both successful. For them, at least. Never for her. Not for years.

The last had ended not even thirty minutes ago. It was a man, at least fifty years old, tall, short grey hair, money for days. He took her to a restaurant, acted as if Emma were his daughter without even a hint of a warning. She went with it, it wasn't the first time. _At least they're fulfilling the fantasy with me, rather than with their kid_. She thought. Then he took her to his house and fucked her in his daughter's bedroom. There was no other word for it. No eye contact, no words, lasted five painful minutes and he sent her away after the payment was done. Which she was thankful for. Emma wanted nothing more than to get into the shower and wash away the shame of a disgraceful night.

After doing so, she returned to the kitchen to grab some leftovers until there was a knock at her door. She glanced at her wrist watch which marked 1:24 am.

_Seriously?_

Snatching the baseball bat she always kept by the door, she called. "Who is it?"

And a small voice seeped through the wood. "Huh, me?"

She cocked an eyebrow and pulled the door open to find a tiny little boy smiling up at her with the brightest eyes she'd ever seen. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Emma Swan?"

* * *

"We'll find him, don't worry."

Regina shot up from the couch, flailing her arms above her head, slicing the air as if it would somehow help enhance her anxiety. Because her shrieks weren't obvious enough. "_How_?! Graham, he's a ten year old child, he could've gone _anywhere_!"

The young man leaned on his knees and also got up, following Regina as she paced back and forth. "Mayor Mills, he's bound to be around town. We have everyone looking for him."

Regina glared at him, as if her eyes could stab him right through his chest. "Don't _Mayor Mills_ me."

"Regina-"

"Forget it." She accelerated her pace and rubbed her already sweaty forehead. "Don't call me anything, just…" She inhaled deeply, stopped her wandering and sat back down on the couch. "I feel dizzy."

Graham rested his hands on his waist, huffed and peaked through the window for the hundredth time that night. This time, he spotted two figures by the mansion. He spun back and his jaw slacked. "Henry- Regina, he's here."

The mayor flew to the door, her heart virtually ripping out of her ribcage, and yanked it open. _Thank god._

There he stood, her little boy, with his backpack on, all hands and feet, every limb in place.

"Henry!" She sprinted towards her son – god, towards her whole world – and pulled him instantly into her arms. "Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"

She held him at arm's length, inspecting every bit of her child and completely overlooking whoever was standing next to him.

"I found my real mom!" Henry shook himself off of his mother's grasp and dashed through Graham and into the mansion.

Regina finally looked up to meet the figure at her side and felt every bit of her freezing once her eyes met familiar emerald ones, and golden locks falling over a red pleather jacket.

"_Y-you're_ Henry's birth mother?" It was more of a whisper rather than what she intended it to be.

Emma practically wheezed, wanting to dig herself a hole to crumble under Regina's stare. "Hi…"

Graham quickly felt the sheet of awkwardness weighing. "I'll just go… Check on the lad. Make sure he's alright."

Neither of them registered him, not being able to rip from each other's glares. There was no way in hell that this was actually happening.

Emma parted her lips to speak. "Listen-"

"No, no." Regina gestured for her to shut up. "This has got to be a mistake."

"He's ten; I gave a kid up for adoption ten years ago, makes sense."

Regina's hands snapped to her waist. "And you didn't think to mention this before?!"

"Oh, you mean when you called me like I asked you to? Guess not!"

"You don't get to use a tone with me!" She stepped closer to the blonde, so close Emma could feel her personal space bubble popping. "You were the one who pushed me away that night, Miss Swan."

The nerve on that woman. Emma widened her eyes. "You gotta be shitting me here, you were wasted, I didn't want to take advantage of you!"

"I _hired_ you, Miss Swan. You were supposed to take advantage of me."

"Just because I do what I do doesn't mean I have the right to hurt people. Or the other way around."

Regina felt the slight quiver in Emma's voice and took a step back, breathing out the will to smash everything around her.

Her eyes met the ground. "Was this some sort of arrangement in order to find Henry? Did you know about this when I hired you?"

Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course not." She searched for Regina's stare. "Look, I'm as shocked as you. Having a kid show up at my door telling me he's my son, talking about some fairytale book-" She shook her head and ran her long fingers through her now unruly hair. "It's- it's just not exactly what I needed right now."

Regina gulped the knot in her throat. "Let's discuss this inside."


	5. Chapter 5

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

"_Let's discuss this inside."_

The mayor's mansion was as polished as the woman herself. Not a single speck of dust could be found, the floor shone to the point of reflection, the staircase curled up to the rooms whilst the entrance hall led to several other divisions.

Regina had prepared them both a drink and lead Emma to the study. Brown busy bookcases stretched up to the ceiling and covered the entirety of the walls until reaching a fireplace, and then the window. Emma had sat on the couch while Regina stood by the fire, gently tracing the old clock that sat atop the wood.

"How did he find me?"

Regina drew a sharp breath, blinked rapidly and moved to sit on the couch opposite Emma. "I have no idea. I was told the mother didn't want any contact so I never really worried. Until now, that is."

Emma gulped the fiery drink. "There's no need to worry."

"And the father?"

"Doesn't know."

Regina nodded and sunk further back into the couch, never losing her posture. "Miss Swan, let's cut to the chase here," She pierced Emma's stare and held it. "Henry _can't_ know."

"About us?" Emma leaned on her knees.

"About our… appointment, yes."

"I have no interest in the kid knowing, I just-" She huffed, ripping from the mayor's glare. "You could've called, you know?"

"Or we could drop that subject." Regina froze her expression, not wanting to look as vulnerable as she felt. "I think I've embarrassed myself enough."

Emma hesitated, but quickly rose from the couch, went around the coffee table and tentatively sat next to the brunette, keeping a safe distance, but being close enough to feel the tension pulling at her skin. "You obviously have some… issues. But I think I was delicate enough to earn your respect."

Regina winced at the word, shrunk two sizes and turned her face as far away from the blonde as possible. _Issues_, of course she had issues, she had been broken beyond repair for thirty years goddamn it.

"It's a long drive until Boston." She mumbled, sniffled and ran her fingers through her hair. "Mr. Gold, the rent collector, shut down Granny's Inn so you're welcome to use my guest room for the night. I expect you gone by sunrise."

Emma nodded, mumbling a thank you while the brunette shot up and exited the study. She could've sworn she saw Regina gently wiping the corner of her eye, but didn't dwell on it and followed the mayor, afraid to get lost midst such a luxuriously big mansion.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Regina pointed to a room at the end of a long corridor on the right. "That's the guest room, next to mine."

"Which one's Henry's?"

She pointed to the corridor on the left. "That one. But I don't want to hear anyone wandering about."

"No wandering, check." Emma ticked the air. "How about pajamas?"

Regina cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm sure you'll be comfortable sleeping in your underwear, Miss Swan, I reckon you're used to having little clothing on."

Emma screwed up her face and tightened her arms around herself as if she had taken a punch in the stomach. "You know, your humor is painful."

"Luckily you won't have to endure it for much longer." Regina crossed her arms, stepped closer to the blonde and sniggered. "Good night, Miss Swan."

When the mayor turned to walk to her room, Emma stroked the air as if to stop her. "Wait, don't you want to know anything? About how I got pregnant or-"

"I'm certain I can figure that out by myself." Regina shot a look of disdain. "But no. I've come to learn that some things are better left alone, I'd rather not know."

Emma quietly nodded and pressed her lips together. "Good night, Madam Mayor."

Regina watched the blonde enter her room and stayed rooted to the spot for a few seconds, still thinking about all the questions she could never dare herself to ask.

Then, she slowly moved to Emma's door, lifted her fist and let it fall twice onto the wood before it opened, revealing an already pantless Miss Swan.

"I do have a question."

Emma smirked. "Shoot."

Regina drew in a breath, forcing her eyes to keep from falling to Emma's bare legs. "_Bounty Hunter_?"

The blonde groaned, roller her eyes and leaned against the door frame. "It's a long story."

"There's still a few hours left until sunrise."

"I think I'll keep you wondering." Emma devilishly grinned and snapped a hand to her waist. "Maybe _then_ you'll call me."

A smile pulled at Regina's plump lips. "I still won't."

Emma gently slipped into the mayor's personal space, making the woman obviously uncomfortable as she crossed her arms to hold a certain distance. "What are you afraid of?"

Regina's gaze fell to the ground and she took a painful step back. "Don't."

"It's just a question." Emma ran the tip of her tongue over her lips.

What Miss Swan didn't know, was that a simple question could contain years of built up pain and suffering. Regina wasn't scared of many things, but Emma sure knew how to push the wrong buttons, so she defended herself in the only way she knew how; pushing back. "Was Henry's father one of your clients?"

Emma nearly choked on her own words. "No- no, of course not. I got pregnant before I got this job."

It seemed that Regina also knew what buttons to push. "So, you were a bounty hunter when you got pregnant?"

Emma's hands searched for pockets to hide in, finding nothing but the waistband of her pink underwear. "Also no- can we just, _not_ talk about me?"

Regina uncrossed her arms and reached for the wall. "What are you afraid of?"

"You are the devil, woman." Emma breathed and stared hard into brown eyes.

The mayor let out a laugh. "I've been called worse."

"Why don't you come inside?" The blonde spoke fast, stumbling on a cough. "I mean, instead of just standing here, we could sit, talk, about you, not me."

"Good night, Miss Swan." Regina spun back and took slow steps towards her room as Emma watched. "Oh, and the sun rises at six thirty. Just to let you know." She spat over her shoulder before entering her room and shutting the door without as much as a last glance.

Emma stood frozen, still feeling the mayor's sulky voice echoing through her ears as the silence shed over the corridor.

* * *

Six thirty was an ungodly hour to be awake. Emma hated the orange light that shone through the thin curtains and smashed her right in the face, waking her up as it became unbearably bright.

The sun had arrived to take her place, so, she was quick to get dressed, zip up her boots and drag herself down the stairs. She took one last look around the mansion, breathed in the sweet scent of wood mixed with whatever air freshener that Regina used, and then left.

Thankfully, she had parked her yellow bug right outside the garden so she hauled herself in, gripped the wheel and shut her eyes for two seconds, feeling her eyelids burning, before driving away.

Emma thought of many ways to be able to see Regina one last time. She thought of sleeping in and undergoing the risk of getting slapped, she thought of waking the mayor during the night, accusing her guest room of being haunted so that she could spend the night in the suite, and, lastly, she thought of simply tip-toing into Regina's bedroom, getting into her bed and then acting as if they had slept together once the mayor woke up.

Of course she ended up doing nothing of the sort, knowing that she'd find herself in an unavoidable restraining order, and resorted to purely accept the fact that she did not belong neither in Henry's life, or Regina's.

"Good morning!" A high pitched voice emanated from the backseat and she shrieked, glanced back, losing control of the wheel, and then slammed her foot on the break, causing the car to abruptly stop.

"Damn it, kid are you trying to get me killed?!" She turned back to face the boy.

"I didn't know you were going to get scared!"

"What the hell are you doing here?! Your mom's gonna kill me!"

Henry smirked. "Not if you take me with you to Boston."

Emma exhaled loudly. "Henry, you know I can't do that."

"But why not? You have plenty of space in your apartment, I'm very small, I won't take up much space and when I grow up we'll just- we'll just get a bigger place." He spoke frantically, excited even, waving his little hands around with each sentence.

Emma couldn't help but show a warm smile. "I can't just take you, kid. Besides, your mom's probably worried sick and… and planning my death, so I need to take you back. Alright?"

Henry's face fell and he slumped back into the seat. "Fine."

* * *

"No, I enjoy wasting my time pretending that my son is gone- of course I'm serious, Graham! I woke up, went to check on him and found his bed empty." Regina pressed the phone so tightly against her ear it had turned bright red along with the rest of her face. "

A croaky engine roared loudly through her mansion from outside and she sprinted towards the window, spotting a dingy yellow bug and a blonde pulling a little boy towards the gate.

_Her_ little boy.

"Henry." She whispered before hanging up on Graham and dashing through her front door until she approached them, immediately holding her son's face between her hands, scanning for any injuries. "Are you okay?"

Henry nodded and Regina straightened up, facing Emma who looked rather like a puppy who had just munched on the cat's treats and got caught red handed.

"Listen-" She tried.

"I don't know what's going on in your blonde head, Miss Swan," Regina gestured dismissively towards Emma's hair. "But let it be clear that you are _not_ allowed to kidnap my son."

Emma's jaw dropped and she pointed at the boy. "I-I didn't, he hid in my car!"

Regina cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Henry as her stomach dropped. The realization that her son would rather move to Boston with a stranger rather than keep living with her stabbed her right through her chest. It was in times like this that she honestly considered the advantages of living without a heart.

"Henry, I reckon I didn't raise you to do things like this." She turned to the little boy, gulping the huge knot that tightened around her throat. "This ought to be the last time you leave me worrying myself to death."

"Let's make a deal," Henry barked, looking up between his mothers. "You let Emma stay for a week and I promise I'll never run away again."

Regina scoffed. "Absolutely not!"

"That's not a good idea, kid."

"Would you rather me running away to never come back?!" Henry's tiny voice cracked.

"Miss Swan is not welcome in our house." She spat, regaining her posture and pursing her lips at the blonde.

"It's only a week!" He begged, wrapping his arms around Regina's waist and the brunette couldn't resist running her fingers through his unruly hair. "_One_ week and I'll behave."

Regina drew in a sharp breath, stared through Emma's eyes and exhaled before grumbling. "Fine."


	6. Chapter 6

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

"Miss Swan!" Regina's hands flew to cradle her waist as she stared through the pool of clothes fumbled in the corner of her bathroom's floor, ready to light them on fire with a single thought. If only she had her magic. "Get in here immediately!"

Emma quickly rushed, poking her still slightly wet blonde head around the door. "What's up?"

Regina's huff echoed through the walls as she vividly pointed her index finger towards the bundle of fabric. "_That_ is 'what's up'."

She eyed the floor and shrugged. "So?"

"I don't know in what kind of pig sty you're accustomed to living in, Miss Swan, but I'll have you warned for this to be the last time I find your dirty laundry on _my_ floor."

"Relax; I just took a shower I would get it, eventually." Emma rolled her eyes and Regina took two assertive steps towards her.

"Just because we made the arrangement that you would shower in the morning whilst I would at night, it most definitely does not give you the right to misuse my bathroom as your personal landfill during the day." She fiercely gestured. "I can see a pair of underwear, for Christ's sake."

Emma's grin only further irked Regina, so she bent down to pick up the clothes and tossed them towards the blonde, who flinched and protested. "Woah, no need to shove it all in my face."

"Well, how about you find someplace else where to shove it, then." She strutted past Emma, her heels clacking against the perfectly polished floor, and then hurried down the stairs.

"Hey!" Regina stopped, sighed and looked up. "What the hell am I supposed to do now? It's my first day here; I don't exactly have… anything, really."

"Miss Swan, I'm late for work, you do whatever suits best, just make sure my house is intact when I return."

"Can I go?"

Regina's eyebrow snapped up so fast Emma felt the need to recoil. "Are you a child, Miss Swan?" She questioned, not giving the blonde a hair of time to be able to answer. "Presumably not, as you're only here because of the one you gave birth to. I'm sure you'll find some source of entertainment that doesn't involve stalking me."

Emma considered her options and went with what she was sure would be the killer move: she pouted her lips, widened her eyes and moaned. "Pretty pleeeeeease."

The sound that came out of Regina's throat had either been a stifled laugh or a _very_ irritated groan from the very depths of evil. "It's not up for discussion, dear."

"Come on, I'm giving you the puppy eyes here, pleaseeeeeeeeeeee!"

Regina fought a smile that insisted to creep up on her. "I have a meeting first thing; trust me when I say that it is _not_ your definition of fun."

The blonde began descending the stairs slowly, step by step. "To hell with definitions, what could be worse than sitting on my ass all day?"

Regina crossed her arms over her blazer. "Well…"

"Besides," The blonde had reached her before she had the proper time to realize it. "If we're going to live in the same house for a week, I might as well try to persuade you into getting along with me." She was close, dangerously close, Regina figured, so the mayor went down a step.

"Can't say I disagree." She mumbled while Emma stepped down as well, regaining the hold on her personal space. "Alright, you can come. But you _must_ stay quiet during the meeting. Agreed?"

Emma's lips pulled into a smirk and she inched so much closer the brunette could feel her warm breath melting into her cheeks. Goddamn it, that woman never spent more than three minutes away from her and it physically _hurt_ to rip from the tension. But she had to, every muscle in her screamed for distance.

"Thank you, Miss Mills."

Regina gulped the blonde's perfume and tore from the dangerously impulsive atmosphere. How they managed switch from going at each other's throats to being so close it pained in under a minute, was beyond her.

* * *

Regina was right. That meeting _definitely_ did not meet her expectations of fun. They'd been at it for half an hour in Regina's office, all three of her employees sitting across her while Emma had been instructed to sit at the Sheriff's desk after constantly interrupting the by trying to make Regina laugh with stupid puns.

So, she sat and waited. Then waited for thirty more minutes before she pulled her phone from her pocket, thankful that Regina had agreed to exchange numbers _"just in case I get lost"_.

She grinned, peaked into the office through the open door and then typed "What did the guy who had to pee said to the person blocking his way to the toilet?"

Less than a minute later, the phone buzzed. _"Miss Swan, I am working, do you understand?!"_

She giggled, glanced at the office again and found two brown eyes glaring back at her before falling to the folder in front of them.

"That's totally not what he said."

"_What did he say then?"_

"Oh no, I wouldn't dare interrupt your work, Mayor Mills, by all means, focus on the tediousness of that meeting."

"_Miss Swan, tell me what the damn guy said or so help me."_

"What? You'll come kick my ass? Please do it so that I can pin you to the ground and actually have some sort of entertainment." She bit her lip, re-read the message twice before tapping send and froze her stare on Regina.

She watched as the woman opened the text, shut her eyes, took a deep breath and ferociously typed.

"_Don't."_

Her lungs sunk into her back, though she didn't expect much more than that answer.

"Just end the meeting already, you're as bored as I was in there. I can tell. Let's go get lunch."

"_In a minute."_

Emma groaned and shoved the phone into her pocket, crossing her arms and flinging her legs to rest atop the desk.

"Can I help you?"

She snapped back, practically falling from the chair and abruptly stood up as she recognized the figure standing behind her. "Hey, I-huh, sorry."

The guy had his hands on his hips, staring at her with a mocking smile. "What are you doing here?"

"You're the guy from when I brought back Henry."

"Graham." He chuckled. "I'm the Sheriff, so that's my desk."

Emma uncomfortably grinned, reaching for her belt loops to lock her thumbs in. "Yeah, Regina told me to wait here, I'm sorry."

Meanwhile, the mayor had completely drawn out from whatever her employees were discussing - something about street lamps, or bumpy roads – to shift her attention to Emma and Graham chatting right outside her office.

Uneasiness blossomed through her stomach to tighten around her ribcage and she clenched her jaw with as much force as she could without breaking her teeth. There was something about Graham's cheeky smile that made her want to storm out and shove him six feet away from the blonde.

She knew how he could be, she knew how women saw him, how they gawked at him whenever he walked by. She was aware, and rather apprehensive about letting Emma within arm's reach of him.

So, she announced that the meeting had reached its' end, shot up and beat everyone to the door, dashing through to stand next to Graham.

"Sheriff, I assume you've got paper work to attend, let's not chat away your precious time." Regina dug her nails on his arm and pulled him back enough for her to feel comfortable again.

"Yes, Madam Mayor. It was nice meeting you Emma."

She fought every urge to hiss and subtly flushed her palm with the girl's back, urging her forward to the exit.

* * *

Emma moaned with each bite she took of her greasy burger. "God, this is good."

They sat in the mayor's office after having gone to Granny's to pick up their lunch.

Regina chuckled, stabbing a salad leaf before bringing it to her mouth. "I can tell."

There was no denying she was more irritable than usual – if Emma dared to say she even knew what 'usual' meant in such a short period of time – however, she fought every impulse to ask. It was none of her business, anyway.

"So, it seems that you and the Sheriff are on a first name basis already." Regina spat, piercing the salad with her fork as if it were a human chest.

Emma sniggered. "I'm on a first name basis with everyone except _you_. No one else calls me Miss Swan."

Regina cleared her throat. "Graham and I-" She interrupted, her eyes hitting her desk, the floor, the walls and, eventually, her lap to set up camp. "We have an arrangement. I call and he… attends my needs."

Emma nearly choked on her beverage, coughing out when the liquid went down the wrong pipe. "I huh- I understand, I have no interest in him."

Regina bit her bottom lip, furrowed her eyebrows and gulped the words wanting to sprout. "That's not what I'm worried about, Miss Swan; I could care less if he lusts for other women."

"Why are you telling me this, then?"

There was a moment filled with a heavy silence until Regina broke it with a ghost of a whisper. "Nevermind."

* * *

Dinner had slipped by far more comfortably than lunch. Henry's report of his busy day at school sufficed at keeping the conversation alive and Emma couldn't complain about the wonderful feast that Regina had prepared for them.

The mayor was quick to clear the table once they were done; Henry excused himself, said goodnight to both his mothers and they were left alone with the lingering awkwardness of the day.

"I should go take a shower." Regina cleared her throat and walked past Emma into the hall.

The blonde followed suit, except when the mayor headed for the stairs, she reached the front door and pulled her shoulder bag from the entry table.

Regina stopped, turned on her heels mid stairs and cocked her head to the side. "Going somewhere, Miss Swan?"

"I have a client."

The words hit her with a pang right through her stomach. "In Storybrooke?"

"No, about half way till Boston." Emma had her hands shoved deep into her bag, scurrying for something whilst completely missing the look of absolute disenchantment that washed over Regina's features.

"I didn't think you'd still do that while you're here."

"I can't lose this costumer, neither a few other regulars."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest, stepping down until she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Is it a man?"

If Emma hadn't notice the sudden tone change in the woman's voice she might have left without having looked into her eyes. "Does it matter?"

"Could you answer?"

The blonde ceased her search, paced towards Regina until she pushed as further against that wall she insisted to put up as she could.

"Does it matter?"

Regina recoiled, having to gather every ounce of strength not crumble into the proximity. "No."

The younger woman nodded, her gaze switching from plump lips to glimmering eyes, and turned back towards the door. She strutted until she gripped the handle and twisted it.

Regina uncrossed her arms and stroked the air as if to stop Emma from leaving. "Miss Swan-"

"Yes, it's a man."

And with that, she shut the door, leaving alone a woman whose eyes welded up with tears she didn't understand.

* * *

Regina was sure she was awake until the familiar click of the front door opening echoed through the house and jolted her from her slumber. Apparently she had fallen asleep in her room's chaise longue whilst catching up on her reading – which she only did in order to stay awake, clearly failing miserably to do so – and she dashed to the bed as soon as the sound of boots climbing up the stairs slowly neared her room, rapidly slipping into the covers but not quick enough to switch off the light.

Emma knocked twice and gently pushed the already open door. "Hey, you awake?"

"Evidently." The mayor pulled her book closer to her face, not even sure if it was the right way up.

"It's half past three in the morning, what are you doing up?"

"Reading."

Emma sighed and began closing the door. "Good night."

"I take it your appointment went well." Regina stopped her.

The blonde leant against the door frame, facing the other woman. "Yeah… I guess."

"You guess?"

"As well as any other night."

Regina audibly sighed. "I see."

"What if it had been a woman?" The silence that followed the question seeped into Emma's skin. "Would it bother you?"

"It's your job, dear, it doesn't concern me."

"That's not what I asked."

"Then I don't know how to answer you."

"Say yes or no."

Regina dropped the book onto the covers. "Henry's asleep; either come in and shut the door or leave."

Breathing away the fuming impulse to punch the wooden frame, Emma took two steps in and closed the door as instructed, slanting against the wall with her hands in her jean's pockets. She huffed. "Yes or no."

Regina tiled her chin up, leaned back against the headboard and iced her voice. "No."

"You're lying."

"You don't _know_ me."

"I always know when people are lying, remember?" Emma glared at her with a hint of bitterness that the mayor could almost taste in her mouth. "Or are we choosing to ignore everything about that night?"

Regina wanted all but to continue the staring trance they'd put themselves into, but couldn't bring herself to look away. "If I wasn't aware of your job I'd think you were hurt, Miss Swan."

Emma winced as if she'd been stabbed, pulled herself off of the wall and ran a hand through her disheveled blonde hair. "If I wasn't aware of that wall you put up I'd think I wasn't getting under your skin, Miss Mills."

"Why would you be getting under my skin?"

Emma chuckled and gripped the doorknob. "What did the guy who had to pee said to the person blocking his way to the toilet?"

"I don't know, what?"

She glanced again at Regina before winking and then languidly left the room.

"Wha-" The mayor sat up, whispering as loud as she could. "What did he- Miss Swan!"

But she got no response as the blonde had already gotten into her room and shut the door; leaving behind a grumbling brunette cussing under her breath.


	7. Chapter 7

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

"Ready, kid? Let's go."

Regina lifted her eyes from the newspaper she held up to her face for the first time that morning.

"Let's go where?"

The blonde hoisted up from the chair and circled the breakfast table to get to Henry, who already stood with his backpack thrown over his right shoulder.

"Emma's driving me to school." An adorable grin pulled at his lips but Regina was far too busy scrutinizing Emma's expression to be able to notice it.

"And when did _we_ decide that?"

"He asked me before breakfast." Emma reached for the boy's head to ruffle his hair. "Is that okay?"

Well, no, of course that was most definitely _not_ okay. But why would Regina willingly display any indication of _fear_ regarding her relationship with her son? She'd rather rip her own heart out before letting anyone know what's inside it.

"Yes, dear." Her lips curled into an obligatory smile. "Just make sure he arrives on time."

Emma gestured for Henry to leave the kitchen. "You heard your mother, let's go."

"Oh, Miss Swan." The blonde turned. "Should I expect you at the office?"

"If you'll have me."

"You'll pester me until I cave, so why bother saying no?"

Emma wholeheartedly chuckled, taking pleasure in knowing that if Regina _really_ didn't want her there, she wouldn't have caved in the first place.

"I'll be there before you miss me."

The mayor sunk back into the newspaper, not even bothering trying to read as it only served to cover the grin that adorned her whole face. "I doubt I ever would."

"That smile says otherwise." With that, Emma turned on her boots and followed Henry out.

Regina dropped the paper, forced the smirk off of her lips and stared in awe as the two exited the mansion.

* * *

"So, _this_ is your school."

"Yep."

Emma followed him through the crowded patio until they approached a rather young looking woman, dark hair, sporting a pixie haircut and an outfit that clearly belonged somewhere in the 50's, talking to a little boy around Henry's age.

"Hey, Miss Blanchard."

The woman rapidly turned to them with the most genuine looking smile Emma had ever seen. "Good morning, Henry." Her eyes snapped to the blonde and she cocked an eyebrow. "Who's this?"

"My mom, Emma."

Miss Blanchard's jaw slackened and Emma parted her lips, quickening to correct him. "Biological mother. Emma Swan."

"_Ohh_." She smiled again, this time apprehensively, and stretched a hand for Emma to shake. "Mary Margaret. I'm Henry's teacher. I assume Miss Mills knows you're with him…?"

"Yes, of course." She chuckled. "She'd skin me alive if I hadn't told her first."

Mary Margaret nodded vigorously through a giggle. "The mayor can be a little… _strict_, sometimes."

"You have no idea."

* * *

Regina re-read the first sentence of whatever report she was holding for the fifth time before giving up, carelessly dropping the folder atop the other ones she had yet to find the courage to open.

To be quite honest, her mind was as far from her duties as mayor as it could ever be. There was something about Miss Swan's arrogance that she found undeniably compelling, if not for the pleasure she took in going against everything the blonde said, then for the way she thoroughly convinced herself that she would find a path into Regina's mind and wreck the wall she had spent so long perfecting.

As if _anyone_ could read _her_. How do you read a book that has been glued shut and locked six feet under to rot under an icy exterior? You don't. And Miss Swan most certainly _wouldn't_.

She could not allow anyone close enough to make her feel the way she longed to forget she once felt.

"Madam Mayor?"

The knock at her door startled Regina enough for her to bang her knees on the table as she shot from her chair. She stood now breathless. "Graham, yes."

He walked in, shut the door behind him and approached the desk, lowering his voice. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like some _company_ for tonight."

Regina fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "As in…?"

"S-sex." Graham stuttered, placing his hands on his hips.

"I know _that_." The woman growled, rolling her eyes. "You're in luck. Henry has a sleepover at a friend's tonight so, after dinner?"

"How about before? Maybe we'd have time for a second round, then."

Her stomach churned. It was still a mystery even for herself how she kept agreeing to this _thing_ with Graham. Maybe she hoped for something. Maybe she didn't like the thought of not _feeling_ anything for the rest of her life, and giving up on trying only stressed the reality of that bloodcurdling fact.

"Emma's going to be there." She spoke in a faint whisper, as if the blonde could somehow seep into her brain to hear her address her by her first name.

"Can't you ask her to hang at Granny's for a while?" He smirked in a murky way that Regina never grew fond of. "I'm sure she'll understand."

The mayor nodded. Perhaps she _would_ understand. Perhaps a little too much. _Who will be getting under whose skin now?_

"I'll be there at six." Graham headed for the door, opening it to find a standing blonde with a fist curled up in a ball and ready to knock, along with two brown bags in her other hand.

"Oh, I was just about to-"

"Suit yourself." Graham leered and walked by her.

She shut the door again and neared the desk, placing the bags on top. "I brought lunch."

Regina mumbled a thank you and sat back down, sinking into her black leather chair while wishing it to swallow her whole and whisk her away back to her teenage years where there was no arrogant, lies-detecting, dangerously charming birthmother of her adopted son.

"You okay?" Emma ripped the bags open and removed their lunches; placing Regina's in front of her as she sat on the guest chair.

"Yes."

"How many times do I have to tell you that-"

"Drop it, dear, I'm in no mood." Regina scoffed, straightening her back and neck.

Emma sighed, defeated. "Henry told me he's going to a sleepover tonight."

"Yes."

"So, I thought that maybe…"

"Yes?"

"I don't know, maybe I could cook you dinner or something."

Regina looked up at the blonde who kept her eyes busy with anything other than hers. "You want to _cook_ me dinner, Miss Swan?"

"Yeah," Emma muttered, re-arranging the fries on the pack. "I mean not like a date thing, I just thought- you know for Henry's sake, we could, maybe… try to be civil. If you don't have any other plans, that is."

"Alright."

The blonde finally looked up with the ghost of a glimmer coating her eyes. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes, dear." The mayor stood up. "Excuse me for a moment."

She headed for the door, pulling it only a sliver open and sticking her head through it. "Sheriff?"

Graham abruptly dropped his feet from his desk. "Yes?"

"I can't tonight." She whispered. "Something of higher importance has arisen."

* * *

"Don't freak out!"

Regina had barely set a foot into her mansion when a disheveled blonde scurried to block the way.

"What do I smell?" She tried to push past the woman, failing and hitting her torso.

"How fond were you of your oven?"

Regina lifted a brow in the most menacing way she knew, snapped her hands to her waist and carved a whole on Emma's soul with a petrifying stare. "_Very_."

"I may or may not have broken it."

A loud thunder erupted through the house, causing the blonde to shriek and instinctively grab hold of Regina's arms.

"You broke my oven?!"

"In my defense, I hate storms." Emma confessed, letting go of the mayor and peeking through the window to find that strong rain had started to pour. "I don't know how it happened- it just burned the chicken and then-"

"The storm is not an excuse, Miss Swan, how does one even manage to _break_ an oven?!"

She tried walking past the blonde again only to be stopped by two firm hands on her abdomen.

"I cleaned it up but it's in bad shape." Emma blubbered. "And dinner is ruined."

"So, what do you suggest?"

Miss Swan's lips stretched into a grin, she let her hands languorously fall from the woman's stomach and twitched her eyebrows into an apology.

"Pancakes?"

* * *

Emma sat on the impossibly comfortable rug that covered most of the living room's floor, whilst Regina preferred the couch. _Like a normal person would_, she'd say. But she held her tongue.

Bearing in mind the unusual - and rather warm - storm that had set outside, mid-July; Emma's choice of clothing consisted on a black tank top and the shortest pair of shorts that the mayor had ever seen. She might as well be naked, she thought. Not that she was thinking about it, of course, it was nothing but an astute observation.

Regina, however, dressed like the lady she was, meaning a perfectly tailored dark grey dress that clung to her curves in all the right places.

"These are _amazing_." Emma grumbled through a full mouth as she struggled to chew the piece of pancake.

The mayor's lips curled at the edges. "Thank you, dear; I actually know how to cook without ruining an appliance."

"I have a question." The blonde blurted, crossing her legs as she leant back on her palms. "You don't have to answer."

Regina's stomach reacted, churned and kicked deeper into her. "Alright."

"Do you _kiss_ Graham?"

She hated questions. They dug and clawed into piles of memories she never dared to touch. This one was no different.

So, she burned her glare through her plate and mentally added another brick to her wall. "No."

Emma released a breath she'd been holding for far too long. "Good."

"We do _other_ things, Miss Swan; I don't see why the kissing would be more of an issue that those."

"Anyone can shut their eyes and lie to themselves during sex." Emma belittled, shrugging her shoulders. "But _kissing_ - the right kind of kissing – is what opens the first crack in a person's armor. No matter how strong it may be."

To say that liquid fire shot through Regina's nerves to burn at her chest, would be a vast understatement.

Someone, _that_ woman, had put into words what she'd felt since the last time she kissed the lifeless lips of her fiancé.

And if she weren't so accustomed to the distance she might have done something to diminish it. Instead, she stared through those emeralds, her jaw slackened and a glimmering sheet of tears coated her eyes.

Another loud thunder echoed and then darkness fell over the house.

_Blackout_. Regina figured.

There was dark and silence, until she heard the unmistakable sound of someone moving towards her and then felt the light touch of two hands on her knees.

Instinctively, she winced.

"It's me."

"I know."

Then warm breath caressed Regina's cheeks and every single hair in her body rose.

She started to pull away when Emma tightened the grip on her knees. "I'm not going to kiss you." The whisper shot right through her spine.

Regina nodded, lulled her eyes shut and took an audible deep breath.

Two soft lips only barely grazed her cheek and then her jaw to press against her neck.

Midst the silence the only sounds that could be heard were the lenient caress of the rain tapping against the windows and the ragged breathing that neither could really repress.

Emma pushed against Regina's legs so that she could fit between them as she kept kneeled on the rug, then proceeded to slide her hands up and down Regina's thighs. Her mouth worked the mayor's pulse point as if she'd known it for her whole life. Tugging, licking, pressing, nibbling.

Regina burned even more than she did before. She burned then for the thrill, for the constant need to _feel_. She burned now for the way Emma effortlessly slipped through the cracks, how she _knew_, how she understood.

The blonde climbed onto the couch and slithered between Regina's legs, causing the woman's dress to roll up at the edges the same way it did in that night. The brunette whimpered at her touches and _let them_ happen.

Through light caresses and skillful trailing, they found themselves in the same position as before; however, nothing quite tasted the same.

It tasted real. And Emma relished every bit of the woman she managed to willingly get.

Hands roamed everywhere, covering every inch of skin they found and the room filled with unspoken lust that scorched through their bodies. Still, Emma did not adventure as much as she did the last time, no; she took whatever she got.

She felt two tentative hands clutching her blonde curls, hauling her from Regina's neck to hover above her face. The rushed movements slowed to a lazy pace and the atmosphere engulfed them into a daze of perpetual tension.

They were close again, close enough for Regina to feel her good judgment languishing and she had to stop herself from giving into the magnetic pull of the blonde's lips.

So, with an almost inhumane surge of strength, she ripped from the tension and claimed Emma's neck as hers, kissing it as if it would suffice.

In a whim, the blonde slithered a leg between Regina's, pushing right into the spot that drew a deep groan from her.

She didn't fight it; she couldn't, as much as her deep seeded worries screamed at her to _stop_, there was something reassuring about the woman who somehow knew where to touch, how to touch, what spot to pressure, what _not_ to do.

Her nails dug into the blonde's back, trailing, surely leaving visible marks as she kept her pressure on Regina's core. She pushed, wriggled and moved her whole torso in unison with the mayor's body, feeling her chest rising against her breasts, ragged and needing, moaning endless silent pleas.

She could feel Regina coming close to the epitome of the pleasure coursing through her, so she rushed her movements, rested her forehead against hers - the tip of their noses touching – and held onto her for dear life as the woman met her release, writhing and digging and stifling the husky noises that erupted from her throat.

When she finally stilled, Emma did not move and Regina didn't dare to speak. So, they stayed in the same position, calming their incessant breathing until they relaxed into the comfortableness of each other's embrace, letting the night consume them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Emma Swan was no strange to sex; on the contrary, she excelled at it, knew it front and back and inside out like she'd taken an in-depth, five year long master's degree on it. In a way, she had. But to say that sex with Regina Mills was something of ordinary was to insult her knowledge to a baffling extent, noting that she found herself in a rather indefinite territory. What had happened the previous night, hadn't exactly been sex itself, however, considering her past experiences, it had been something that fell in a category far beyond _just sex_.

Waking up felt sore. Legs were tangled with her own, her arm draped around a waist that pushed onto her stomach while Regina's chest rose and fell into her breasts. Her nose was buried deep into smooth, disheveled dark hair and the now familiar apple scent tingled at her senses. It was the first thing she smelled that morning.

The woman attached to her writhed. The head burrowed in Emma's chest moved up to her neck and the blonde could swear she felt two plump lips pressing onto her skin. Sweet, liquescent heat coursed through her ribcage and right into her hear-

"Henry!" Regina snapped up, sat straight and elbowed Emma right on her nose.

"Fuck!" She pinched it with her thumb and index finger while sitting up as well.

"He'll be home any second; you have to get out of here."

"Are you fucking kidding me, you literally just-"

The front door swung open.

"Mom?"

Regina widened her eyes, kicked the blonde out of the couch for her to flatten on the rug and then jumped to her feet, quickly adjusting the hem of her dress and turning to Emma with a menacing glare. "Do not move." She cleared her throat. "Yes, Henry, I'm here!"

The boy entered the living room sporting a smile from cheek to cheek. "Where's Emma?"

He looked over her shoulder and she was quick to block the view.

"She went out."

He cocked an eyebrow. "On a Saturday?"

"She's at Granny's, offered to pick up a hamburger for your lunch."

He thrust the air with his fist in victory. "Sweet!"

"Run along and unpack your things, honey, she'll be here soon." Regina ran her fingers through her son's hair before he rushed up the stairs and she waited until he was out of view to go back into the living room, finding a mess of a blonde hiding behind the couch and clutching to a bleeding nose.

"I'm so sorry." She kneeled and helped Emma sit, swiveling the woman's hands away to inspect the bruise. "I didn't realize I had hit you this hard."

"You have elbows of steel, woman." Regina gently pushed to incline her head backwards, but the blonde shook from the mayor's hands and leaned forward instead, trying to catch the droplets of blood in her palms. "That only makes it worse; I have to let the blood out."

Regina rushed to the kitchen and came back with a roll of paper towel, ripping three sheets off of it and pressing it against Emma's nose. "Did I break it?"

The blonde shook her head. "I've broken my nose enough times to know how it feels like." She took the paper in her own hands and relieved the pressure as Regina recoiled. "It's stopping."

"Good." The brunette nodded, crossing her arms and dropping her gaze to the couch which immediately generated the memory of a thigh pressing between hers and of every habitual insecurity-filled thought being shoved into oblivion by a nervy blonde and she had to shut her eyes until the flashback ebbed.

"We should talk." Emma pushed for eye contact. "About last night. Shouldn't we?"

Regina gulped and seeped into the ice queen mask she always kept on hold. "I don't see why that would be necessary."

"Because we had sex?"

"We didn't have _sex_, Miss Swan."

Emma shrugged and scrapped off the dried blood off of her palms. "I made you come, that should count for something."

The mayor flinched. Emma was aware of the effect certain words, expressions or even simple gestures could have in such uptight people as Regina. The right trigger would prompt the desired reaction, even if the brunette hid behind a ten inch thick, impenetrable wall.

"I don't think we should dwell on it."

"I think you're just scared that I made you feel something."

"And what would you know about feeling, dear?"

"Don't make this about me." Emma stepped into Regina's personal space and was stopped by the mayor's hand on her stomach, pushing back.

"I'm not-" She shrunk, crossing her arms as she always did whenever she felt pressurized. "What we did was merely a consequence of unresolved… _issues_. There's no need to attribute this to anything more than it actually was."

Emma shook her head and lulled. "You're right."

Regina cocked an eyebrow. Wouldn't think the blonde would give up so easily, being the boastful person she was and all.

"I'm glad we agree." She cleared her throat. "You're not bleeding anymore."

Emma touched her nose to verify and took a step back, her eyes meeting the floor, the walls, the ceiling, looking past Regina as if she weren't there. To be honest, she was pissed. No other word for it.

"I have a client today." She grumbled, sniffling to clear her breathing. "So, don't count me in for dinner. And also, don't wait up."

_Oh._

"You're still doing that?"

"What? My job? Yes, I'm still doing _that_."

"Do you _have_ to do that while you're here, dear? I don't want to have to lie to Henry every time you go out." Regina dismissed, as if it didn't matter.

"Is that your concern now?"

The mayor's hands snapped to her waist. "Henry's always been my concern."

Emma rolled her eyes and walked past Regina, bumping her shoulder as she did and then pulled on the hem of her white tank top, grabbing her red leather jacket from the entrance table and sliding it on. "I'll be back with the kid's burger."

With that, she left. And Regina's hands balled into tight fists as she powered through the impossibly overwhelming urge to fireball the nearest townsperson.

* * *

As promised, Emma was quick to return with Henry's lunch, but left soon after, throwing some excuse about wanting to see the town and ignoring the darting glare Regina had sent her way.

She just wanted out.

Out of having to deal with a mess of a woman who thought she owned the world.

Out of feeling as if Henry's happiness depended on her. He looked at her as if she was there to somehow save him from a life of evil and sorrow whilst she saw nothing but the love his mother had for him.

Maybe her own feelings were clouding her judgment. But feelings for what? She didn't want to find out. No, she didn't do feelings, did she? Of course not.

Emma did end up seeing the town. Beautiful, as much as any small corner of Maine could be, anyway.

Of course that the memory of the previous night never left her mind for one darned second.

Somewhere along the afternoon, she went back to Granny's for a coffee, exchanged a few words with Henry's teacher, Miss Blanchard, and left when the clock stroke seven, finding Sheriff Graham along the way to the mansion.

"Miss Swan." He called, approaching her.

"Please, don't call me that." She spouted. "It's bad enough that Regina does."

"Noted." He bobbed his head. "You know, it's only her way of showing respect."

"Yeah, or maybe she just-" Emma shook her head. "Whatever. You're still working at this hour?"

"Just wandering about, fighting the bad guys. Or, you know, waiting for a phone call about a kitten trapped in a tree." He chuckled in a typically charming way and Emma grinned back, appreciating a nice laugh instead of enduring a scolding for a change. "Hey, what are you doing tonight? Maybe we could grab a bite to eat."

"Maybe some other time." Emma said apologetically. "I'm- I have some things to take care of. Besides, I'm not so sure the mayor would approve of us spending time together."

Honestly, Emma was sure Regina would bite her head off.

"So, she told you? About…"

"Yeah, she did."

Graham mumbled something and Emma quickly coughed, as if to cover the palpable awkwardness.

Then, she excused herself, wished him a good night and headed home. Home? Well, whatever it was, she got there soon after and dashed up the stairs in the quietest way possible, not willing to face the beast.

"Miss Swan?"

_Shit_.

Emma slowed her pace and peeked into Regina's room. "Yeah?"

The mayor stood by her bed with one bare leg up on the mattress, leaning over it as she languorously slithered a black seamed stocking up to her upper thigh and then unrolled the edge of her crimson fitted dress to cover the intricate lace.

She was sex on heels.

Needless to say, Emma's jaw dropped, crashed through the floor and ripped through Earth's every layer until it landed on the opposite side of the world.

A mischievous grin was painted across Regina's lips. She had gotten the exact reaction she had planned to get.

"I just wanted to ask a favor of you, dear."

Emma checked for drool on her chin. "Anything."

"Could you hurry and tell Henry that you won't be dining with us? I don't wish to be the one to see the disappointment washed over his face."

The blonde found it amusing how Regina went an extra mile to keep from looking into her eyes. She fixed her dress, ruffled her hair, smoothed the bed's cover and arched her body to accentuate her backside.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Not that it's any of your concern," She sing-songed. "But, yes, I do have plans."

Emma nodded, pursing her lips. "With someone?"

"Of course with someone." The mayor finally faced her, but still kept her gaze at a safe distance from the blonde's eyes. "Graham, if you must know."

"Graham?" Emma questioned, truthfully confused.

It took her less than five minutes to get to the mansion after she encountered him – and he seemed dateless for the night - could Regina be _that_ slick?

Maybe she was stalking her.

She shook the thought and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Are you sure? Cause he-" She stumbled. "You know what? It's none of my business. I should be going, I still have to change."

Regina bit her lip.

"Wait."

The blonde turned and stepped back in.

And the mayor sighed as if defeated after a long, exhausting battle, letting her arms slump by her sides.

Swan would be her undoing, she just knew it.

"Don't go."

Emma practically crumbled on the spot, trying to make sense of the words. "Why?"

"I don't particularly enjoy it when you have… _appointments_."

"It's my job, Regina."

The mayor groaned, unsteadying, shifting her weight from feet to feet. She resorted to the old reliable crossing of the arms, always protecting her chest as if her heart could be ripped out any second. In a way, it _could_.

"I'm quite aware of that, Miss Swan, but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable with it. There's Henry and- and we're only doing this for him and then you just leave to be with other people."

Emma chuckled, baffled really. "How about you stop using Henry as a cover for what you actually feel."

"I don't _do_ feelings, dear." She bellowed, digging her nails on her forearms almost hard enough to draw blood.

"Yeah, there are a lot of things you don't do, Regina."

For the first time, the mayor was left speechless. If not for the flashback of their first night at the hotel, then for the way Emma pushed and _pushed_, as if she didn't fear her like everyone else did.

She merely tripped over mumblings and nervousness, also something she never did.

"How's this for something you don't _do_," Emma stepped forward. Too forward. "If you kiss me _right now_, I won't go. Not today, not tomorrow, not while I'm here. No more _appointments_."

Regina uneasily crowed. "You're out of your mind, Miss Swan."

"It's just a kiss." Emma inched closer and the brunette pushed against her stomach, craned her head away and dodged the warm breath that tickled her lips. "Kiss me and you won't have to lie to Henry about me again."

"If I remember correctly you were the one that said that kissing – the _right_ kind of kissing - is what opens the first crack in a person's armor."

Emma gulped the fire burning at the pit of her stomach.

"Who says this is the right kind of kissing?"

The words failed her again and Regina inwardly cursed. _Unfaithful tools_.

She shook her head. "I can't."

Emma's glare seared through hers and, once again, it was as if she caught her very soul in a fiery grasp and refused to let go.

Then, she watched the blonde take a leap of faith and slowly dive into her, stopping once the tips of their noses touched and Regina couldn't help but wonder if Emma could hear her heart thumping against her ribcage.

Her eyes flickered down to rose lips, then up to pierce glimmering emeralds.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump_.

When the warmth of Emma's breath neared even closer and she was sure to feel something she hadn't felt in three decades, she lulled her eyes shut and braced herself for the kiss to her lips.

It never came.

Instead, the blonde had stepped back and was now watching her with something painted across her features that Regina couldn't quite pin point. Something along the lines of amusement meets disappointment.

Something that made her insides churn and lungs clench and hands ball into fists as her brain wrapped around the idea of having been tricked and embarrassment washed over her in a wave of white-hot fury.

She quickly straightened her body, pushed her chest onwards and watched as Emma simply turned on her heels, climbed down the stairs and left.

When a rage filled tear skimmed down her cheek, she wiped it with the back of her hand and swore to never letting Miss Swan so close to her ever again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself, it always ends bad_

* * *

Emma strode through the pathway leading out of the mansion with such fury and intensity she feared she'd set the whole garden on fire.

_To hell with her._

To hell with her perfectly composed hair.

To hell with her tight ass dresses and legs for days.

To hell with her lips and the way they twitched with nervousness whenever Emma got closer. To hell with her terrifyingly predatory glare that was not one bit terrifying at all. To hell with her deliciously human insecurities and _to hell_ with how relatable they were.

Just…

_Fuck it all._

Emma slammed her car door shut once she entered it and drove off with the ferocity of tires screeching against the dry road. It was only when she reached for her phone on her jean's back pocket that she realized she'd forgotten to change.

She outwardly groaned.

In more ways than one, Regina fucking Mills was bad for business.

Nonetheless, business was business and she was late enough as it is to go back and change into the outfit she'd already chosen.

Damn, she would've looked hot in that dress.

Luckily enough, the client hadn't specified anything clothing wise. A tank top and a red pleather jacket would have to do.

Soon, she arrived at the agreed destination – a country house not too far off Storybrooke – parked the bug and approached a woman standing by the porch.

"Emma, right?"

She pulled her best charming tone. "That's me."

The girl seemed maybe a couple of years younger than her, stood tall on peep-toe shoes and had her long red hair flowing down her shoulders.

Not one slight taste of bitterness touched her smile.

"Come on in."

* * *

Graham was as whipped as the next single guy on his sexual prime. All it took were two simple words in text form for him to drop everything and make a dash to the mayoral house.

"_Come. Now."_

He was greeted by a disheveled woman holding half a cup of whiskey.

"Sheriff." She suppressed a hiccup. "Henry's asleep."

"Good."

That smug like grin pulled at his lips and Regina cringed, gulping the fiery drink before reaching for his jacket's lapel, hauling him inside.

"Emma's not home, right?"

Regina banged the door shut.

"No."

Graham made the wrong call when he tried to take the cup from the mayor and was assaulted by a hand shoving him away.

Regina shook her head, swallowed the remaining liquid and then let the cup fall carelessly, shattering into endless pieces once it hit the ground.

The sheriff flinched and avoided the small glass at his feet. "You're gonna wake Henry up."

"You shoul' know by now that he's a heavy sleeperr." The slur in her voice evidenced the amount of alcohol in her system. "A bomb could go off he'd sleep rrrright through it."

Graham smirked again. God, how she hated when he did that. She had to strangle every impulse of smacking him across the cheek, especially when she felt two hands tugging her waist, heaving her into his body as if he owned the right to it.

As always, he went for her neck, ravishing her in such an animalistic way that drew a whimper from Regina, not due to pleasure – far from it- but rather due to the wrongness that it felt to have a beard virtually scratch through her skin into the nerves that yearned for distance.

Everything just screamed wrong.

His visceral hands. The way his body moved inconsiderately against hers. Not one movement calculated, thought-over nor measured.

It was wrong.

Graham backed her towards the staircase; still persisting on attacking what he thought was her pulse point, and, even though the whiskey pressured for oblivion, Regina couldn't seem to muster enough strength to push herself into enjoying the situation.

Into enjoying what she knew would get a rise out of Swan.

What felt so out of place to the point of being _obnoxious_.

But she'd be damned if she didn't go through with it. If Emma had her clients, well, then she had her… whatever Graham was.

She willingly stepped up the stairs and let the sheriff work her dress's zipper.

* * *

The girl's name fitted her perfectly.

Scarlett.

She embodied fire and sensuality, while the boldness of her touches made clear that she was aware of the importance of body language.

She was forward, daring and much the opposite of Regina when it came to intimacy.

It stung that those were the things coursing through Emma's brain instead of the usual emptiness she always took comfort in.

Though she should've been feeling _nothing_, she felt wrongness.

And she loathed it.

Scarlett took her immediately after entering the room. She hauled Emma and crashed their lips together as she pressed the blonde towards the bed.

All she wanted to taste were apples and the plumpness of Regina's lips; instead, she got two thin, numbingly tasteless lines that were attached to someone who was the complete opposite of what she longed for.

Then, to add to the already extensive list of _The Things She Was Feeling That She Was Most Definitely Not Supposed To Be Feeling_, the cold stab of jealously had merciless snuck up on her once Regina's words seeped from the back of her brain to haunt her.

"_Not that it's any of your concern, but, yes, I do have plans."_

Graham.

_Shit_.

He was probably at the mansion already and the sudden image of Regina languidly pulling her stocking up her leg had Emma reaching for distance from Scarlett, snapping her head to the side to break the kiss.

The girl only took it as an opportunity to assault her neck.

_She would not be jealous_. Jealousy was something so out of her book that she'd forgotten how heart wrenching it actually was, how it physically pained.

How it drew her lungs further into her back.

How it caused electric anger to surge from her balled fists right into her chest and she just wanted to claw it open as if it would somehow stop the agony.

Most importantly, she'd forgotten how it shot endless scenarios through her head.

Graham pinning her. Ravishing the same skin Emma had ever so gently earned the privilege to taste.

Touching her.

_Feeling _her.

_Fuck_.

She pushed Scarlett and breathed, but it didn't help since the girl dove back in after a second and started fumbling with her jean's zipper.

* * *

Regina had successfully made it to the bed without having shoved Graham at least five feet away.

Instead, she let him pin her on the bed – something that had always been out of the question – and laid now limply on the mattress, feeling it dip every time Graham shifted atop her.

Once again, she found herself smothering impulses of distance.

The reason behind her need of control – in this particular case, of being on top – was to avoid the flashbacks, to avoid having to suffer through the agony of past memories that persisted through hell and high water.

But the more she thought of not thinking, the more she thought it.

Rape isn't something one can simply get over.

And Regina Mills had certainly _never_ gotten over it.

The crushing weight on her ribcage depriving her of the basic need to breathe, the impossibly strong hands restraining her, clasping around her frail wrists and making any attempts of escape futile, heavy knees and thighs forcing her legs open, hampering her protests.

It was all too ugly.

And it made her disgustingly _weak_. So, she pushed for control.

Control she couldn't afford to lose now that she had it.

But she was tired, and figured – as she used to thirty years ago – that the less she fought, the quicker it'd be.

She just wanted to show Emma that she knew how to hurt. That _she_ held the power in their game of unhealthy tension that ate away at her loins.

At both their loins.

She had convinced herself to go through with it, but it was when Graham instinctively dipped his lips towards hers that she pushed him away (just in time to stop him) with such force he fell from the bed.

She straightened and snapped. "What have I told you about kissing?!"

He leaned on the mattress with his elbows, rubbing his forehead. "Damn it, Regina, I know."

She scuttled from bed, picked up his shirt from the ground and threw it violently against his chest. "Leave."

"Are you serious?"

"Don't make me ask again."

He shoved the shirt on and grabbed his jacket. "You and your freakish intimacy issues, we've been doing this for-" He paused. "I can't even remember how long, and you still throw hell over a kiss."

"Need I remind you I hold your job in the palm of my hand?!" She pushed her chest out and clenched her fists. "You ought to show more respect, _Sheriff_. Leave."

He obliged and Regina heard the front door bang shut.

Then, came a little voice from the hall.

"Mom?"

Her stare immediately snapped to her son rubbing his eyes and trying to see through the light.

"Henry! Is everything alright?" She rushed, kneeling to level with him and run her fingers through his hair.

"I heard you talking I thought you were having nightmares so I came to see if you were okay."

Maybe not such a heavy sleeper as she thought.

"Everything's fine, sweetie, go back to bed, mom's going to do the same."

"Is Emma home yet?"

Regina gulped and slid her hands down his arms. "No, but she won't be long."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "But I heard the door closing. Who were you talking to?"

"I just had the TV too loud." She soothed, trying to sound as convincing as she could whilst holding back a slight quiver of her chin. "I'll make sure to tell Emma to give you a goodnight kiss when she gets home, would you like that?"

Henry happily nodded and she pressed her lips to his forehead just before he got back to his room.

Regina felt the throbbing warning of a migraine and rubbed her temples, deciding to go downstairs and fix herself a decaf. It always helped preventing those.

As she turned on her coffee machine and snatched a mug from the cabinet, she couldn't help but let her mind slip to wonderings of Swan and what's she'd be doing at that hour.

The thoughts didn't sit well.

But Regina Mills would not cave into such shallow feelings as jealousy. No, she was above that.

She would not wonder about the gender of the client. She would not admit to herself that it mattered.

She would most definitely not. Out of the question.

But the sickening feeling that came with the possibility of it being a woman was difficult to ignore. Why? She wasn't so sure of it herself. It's best not to dwell on things that she would not care to explain, she thought.

"Hi."

Regina jolted backwards and spun to the source of the voice.

"Christ!" She pressed a hand to her chest. "If giving me a heart attack is what you're aiming for then congratulations, Miss Swan."

Emma chuckled and leaned against the kitchen's door frame, watching the mayor in amusement. "That's the plan."

"I wasn't expecting you this soon." Regina grabbed her now finished decaf.

"Yeah, well," Emma shrugged. "Here I am."

Questions hung awkwardly between them. Emma was the first to speak.

"How did it go with Graham?"

If Regina hadn't been stirring her coffee she'd caught the nervous glimmer in the blonde's eyes.

"Fine, dear." She cleared her throat. "And the appointment too I assume?"

Emma nodded, dropping her gaze to her shoes. "You assume right."

Regina's lack of eye contact bothered her. She was so used to the piercing glare that she noted when it was gone.

"Considering the short time it took, I also assume it was a man."

Emma crossed her arms, feeling almost… _guilty_.

"Actually, no." She said. "Not this time."

Oh.

There was that sickening sensation again.

Regina breathed and gulped the burning hot liquid.

"I see."

"I owe you an apology." Emma picked at her nail polish, never having found it as interesting as she did now. Fascinating. Any excuse to avoid the look on Regina's face would do. "I realize I shouldn't have pressured you into something you're obviously not comfortable with."

Regina fell silent for a moment. "What are you on about, dear?"

"Come on don't make me say it."

"I'm afraid I have to."

The blonde sighed, slumped against the wall and shoved her hands in her pockets. "You know. The kissing thing."

Regina clenched her jaw, put her mug down on the counter and scurried to the fridge.

"Are you hungry, Miss Swan? You must be after… your night. I can make pancakes."

She scanned every item and pulled out an egg's carton, displaying it to the blonde who eyed her confused.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course I am. You're sorry." Regina continued to reach for the ingredients and laying them out on the counter. "Apology accepted."

Emma followed her through the kitchen. "I know this is awkward, trust me, I _know_, but I'm really exposing myself here. Why are you dismissing this with food as your cover?"

Regina turned to her, menacingly holding a whisk. "It's just pancakes, Miss Swan."

"You're shutting me out with pancakes." Emma sneered. "That's so not okay."

"I'm not the greatest cook." The mayor trailed out, returning to the task at hand. "But I can make some mean pancakes. Henry used to make them with me, actually, before he… well, grew up to hate me."

"Regina, you know he doesn't-"

"We made them every Saturday for breakfast." She cut off and lit the stove. Powering through. "Then we'd cuddle in the couch with a blanket while watching his cartoons. Spiderman. Sometimes I'd fall asleep and he'd nudge me announcing that I _'really needed to see that part.'_"

She skillfully flipped a pancake midair.

Emma wholeheartedly grinned. "That sounds perfect."

"It was."

Another pancake flew and landed effortlessly.

"Do you miss it?"

Her stomach churned. "Every day."

Emma nodded, deciding to drop the obviously sensitive subject. Then, she charged with the previous topic.

"Like I was saying, I feel bad that I pressured you into kissing me."

Regina groaned and flipped the third pancake. "There's no need to, dear. If I had felt truly menaced I can assure that you'd have felt it right in your cheek."

Emma stared confused, mouthing a silent 'what'.

The other woman noticed and spun to her, snapping a flour coated hand to her waist. "A punch, Miss Swan, must I spell everything out for you?"

A breathy chuckled slipped from Emma. "As if."

Regina turned the stove off and plated the fully finished pancakes.

"I hope you're not suggesting I lack strength."

Emma noticed a small pull on the mayor's lips.

"Oh, I'm just saying that I'm obviously stronger."

She laughed. "Based on what?"

"You've spent your life sitting behind a desk, _Madam Mayor_, but I've been out there chasing people in my bounty hunter days."

Amusement washed over Regina's features. "Is now the time I'll be learning that story? And before you say it, _yes_, I'm aware that it is a 'long story', but you could share it over pancakes."

"Not much to tell." Emma slithered onto a tall chair. "A few years ago I became a bail bonds 'person', more commonly known as a bounty hunter. I chased people. I moved around a lot. Broke a few ribs, punched a few guys, the usual."

Regina listened intently, finishing her already cold decaf and grabbing the flour pack.

"So, you punched a couple of idiots. That validates the assumption that you're stronger than me how, exactly?"

"You bugged me to hear the story and that's all you say?"

"I thought it'd be more interesting." She sneered.

Emma cocked an eyebrow, shoved a hand into the flour pack and threw a hand full at the mayor's chest.

Regina gasped then fumed her stare through the blonde. "Miss Swan, I will make you hand wash this dress with a washboard and soap."

She grabbed a fist of flour and tossed it at Emma's lap.

The blonde jumped from the chair, patted her jeans and shot a menacing glare at the pack.

"Don't." Regina stretched a hand to protect her weapon.

"Oh, yes I will." Emma nodded, devilishly grinning as she jolted forward, successfully taking hold of the flour package and at the same time squeezing it, causing the white powder to fly from the container and land on their hands.

Regina shrieked. She'd actually released a childlike shriek that drew a laugh from Emma as she struggled to claim the flour as hers, battling over the pack and at the same time playfully nudging the mayor until she slipped and tumbled backwards, taking Emma with her.

The flour exploded once it hit the ground, flying _everywhere_.

Regina whined and chuckled at the same time, fluttering her eyes shut. "Look what you done." She shifted under the blonde's weight.

Emma leant on her elbows and knees, squirming midst the mess of limbs to fit between the mayor's legs. "If you had taken an interest in my story this wouldn't have happened." She tittered.

Regina showed a perfect set of pearly whites and adjusted her position, not making the slightest attempt to scamper from under the blonde.

"If you had made it interesting, I would've had."

"It is interesting; actually, I just didn't tell you the whole thing."

"Well, Miss Swan, then the blame's on you, isn't it?"

Their eyes locked and electricity flowed between them. They found themselves in the same position Regina had sworn to herself she'd never allow to happen again.

But those eyes. Those green shimmering eyes that warmed into her. And that skin that rose at her fingertips, and the blonde locks that fell to enclose them in a breathy atmosphere.

And those lips she'd never admit to crave. She couldn't.

But _damn_ those lips.

Her gaze fell to them and she barely noticed the silence that had set in.

Emma's smile faded and she studied the mayor, not daring to move not even a painful inch.

Then, in a slow, tantalizing movement, Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's neck. Hesitantly, but she did.

Her gaze switched from eyes to lips.

The blonde mimicked her.

She tugged her down and Emma lulled her eyes shut, feeling the tip of her nose lightly touching the mayor's.

When she couldn't stand the tension any longer, Regina inched her closer and lightly pressed her lips against the corner of Emma's mouth.


	10. Chapter 10

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

_Regina inched her closer and lightly pressed her lips against the corner of Emma's mouth._

Then, she exhaled so loudly against the blonde's skin Emma virtually felt the tension unraveling in that modest gesture.

She hesitated for a split second before sinking into the moment, careful not to cause anything that could potentially ruin it – knowing Regina as she did – the slightest wrong move would be the end of it.

So, instead of doing what she was so skilled at, Emma simply let her lead.

And Regina did. She pulled back and then sunk into the blonde's cheek, burrowing her lips into the softness of her skin, dragging them across her jaw to then hover above her mouth – not kissing but not letting go.

She tugged Emma's neck down and rested their foreheads together, planting kisses around her lips and brushing her thigh against the blonde's side in a soft caress. She went for the corner again and kissed it more avidly, this time fitting her lips on that curve as if they were pieces from the same puzzle.

For the first time since god-knows-how-long-ago, Regina let herself dip her toes in dangerous waters, waters of intimacy and tenderness, something she had lost all faith of ever regaining, something she had deprived herself of for the greater good – _her_ greater good because it led to unwanted thoughts and forcefully buried demons.

But this time… Well, this time no demons surfaced. No thoughts, no flashbacks, no psychological claustrophobia, nothing that ignited the need for distance.

This time, she felt safe.

And with every kiss she pressed onto Emma's cheeks and lip corners, each one of her walls slowly melted.

Her hands had started tangling into golden locks when Emma's ringtone burst through her back pocket.

"Shit." The blonde whispered, pulling back only enough to reach the damn device. She glanced at it, frowned and pressed ignore, wanting to return to the obviously more pressing task.

Regina watched her. "Who was it?"

"Oh-just some client- doesn't matter, that's what voicemail's for." She reached down, bumping her nose against the mayor's whose eyes had narrowed.

"You're lying, who was it?"

Damn it, woman.

"Does it matter?"

Regina's menacing glare affirmed.

Emma groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was Graham- but don't go away, just- I don't care about him."

"Well, he _clearly_ cares about you." She pushed Emma from her and quickly stood. "You should probably call him back."

"No, come on, don't do that," The blonde straightened up and gently grabbed Regina's arm. "Don't run away again."

"Good night, Miss Swan."

She turned to leave but the blonde's grasp tightened.

"Don't 'good night Miss Swan' me, Regina." She stepped closer. "What does it matter if Graham called me? I didn't answer. Isn't that what matters? What are you so afraid of?"

Regina harshly pulled away.

"What makes you think I'm afraid of _something_?"

"Because I know you."

"You've known me for less than a week."

"Then why do I get the feeling I know more than you let yourself expose?"

Regina blabbered inaudible murmurs and flicked her eyes from Emma's down to her own fiddling hands.

She honestly didn't know what to answer. The truth is, she hadn't meant to seem so vulnerable, she hadn't meant for Emma to even glimpse at the darkest part of her, she hadn't meant for any of this, really, and it did indeed scare her how inevitable everything felt. How she didn't have control over anything regarding the blonde.

How she failed to keep her barrier strong.

So, yes, maybe she _was_ scared.

Maybe she was terrified.

"You know nothing." She muttered, keeping her stare locked away from Emma's.

"I know there's something keeping you from this, from… _us_. Whatever that means."

Regina huffed. "There's no _us_, dear, there's only me and you and, apparently, Graham."

"You know, if you're jealous you can admit it." Emma shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Do you think I let myself feel something as primal as _jealousy_?"

"See, that's you problem." She smirked. "You don't let yourself _feel_."

"You think you're so smart, don't you, Miss Swan?" She crossed her arms, slipping into her HBIC persona. "In fact, you think you're _so smart_, you actually make ridiculous assumptions about me, assumptions which – as a matter of fact – have no foundation what so ever, aside from your own fictitious conclusions that serve to soothe the sting of rejection."

"Rejection?!" Emma bellowed in disdain. "You know what? You can eat your own damn pancakes, because I won't be chasing after you anymore." Emma strutted past Regina, bumping her shoulder and then headed for the staircase.

The mayor followed closely. "What the hell does that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you can stand here and lie about how much you hate me and about how you weren't the one practically kissing on that damn floor – or you can just _let go_ of whatever it is that's holding you back and accept the fact that you _like_ me."

Regina struggled to even form a sentence.

She was painfully right.

"It's just an infatuation."

Emma stepped into her personal space, refusing to let the coldness of Regina's statement affect her.

"Is it?"

The mayor simply licked her lips.

Not getting a response, Emma spoke again.

"Clear your day for tomorrow."

Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "What for?"

"Just do it, we have plans. Oh, and Henry's too."

"He can't miss school."

"It's just one day." Emma smirked. "It'll be worth it, I promise."

Regina rolled her eyes. "If you think-"

"Good night, Madam Mayor." The blonde winked and reached forward, pressing a kiss to Regina's cheek before turning back to the stairs.

The mayor fumbled for words. "Wait, Henry- he's waiting for you to tuck him in."

Emma glanced over her shoulder and smiled, nodding a soundless thank you and leaving Regina leaning against the kitchen door's frame.

When the blonde had gone all the way up, Regina pulled two fingers to brush the tips over the spot that Emma had kissed, and then, she sighed.

* * *

"Here we are."

Emma parked her Bug next to the entrance, thinking that parking farther than twenty feet from it would give Regina more than enough time to regret agreeing to this and to refuse to leave the car.

The brunette peeked over the window and frowned. "Ah-ah very funny, Miss Swan, we had our laughs, now where are we actually going?"

"Cool!" Henry pressed his palms against the glass, watching wide-eyed as a roller coaster looped.

"This is it." Emma grinned. "I thought it'd be fun to take Henry to an amusement park, I used to love these as a kid and I never got to go very often."

"Do you _want_ to endanger our child, Miss Swan?!"

Emma couldn't help but beam at the choice of words.

_Our child_.

_First there's no 'us', but now he's 'ours'?_ She mused to herself.

"Moooom, I really, really, _really_ want to go!"

Regina sighed.

"Henry, you know how unsafe these things can be. I'm just thinking of your safety."

"Lighten up, Regina." Emma spun back to face her. "You said the same thing about my Bug and yet, here we are."

"Well, yes but-"

"Besides, Ruby's been working here part-time, she was actually the one who told me about this place. So, she can babysit Henry if we get sick of him." She ruffled the boy's hair and chuckled.

Regina pursed her lips, not keen on the fact that Emma had certainly started making herself at home by getting new acquaintances.

"Fine." She grumbled. "Suit yourself."

Emma's mouth pulled into the most adorabl-

_No_. Not that. It was a regular smile, Regina thought, just your run-of-the-mill, average smile.

"Come on, kid, before your mother changes her mind."

Henry half-hugged Regina and then sprinted out, following Emma to the entrance.

Before leaving the car, the mayor watched her son latch onto his (other) mother's waist and, for the first time, she felt something that warmed her heart in an inexplicably ridiculous way.

She shook off the feeling and exited.

"Okay, what do you want to ride first?" Emma asked.

Regina caught up to them, shoving her hands in her jacket's pockets.

"The roller-coaster!"

"_That_ thing?!" She squinted as she looked up. "No, that's too dangerous, Henry, we'll pick something else."

Before she could further discuss the matter, Emma had already rushed to buy the tickets.

Oddly enough, the amusement park was full of children and their respective parents, which you wouldn't expect on a weekday. Must be rather well-known, Regina figured and held onto Henry's shoulders.

"Alright, we're going as soon as it stops." Emma walked back to them and handed each a ticket.

Regina eyed it as if it were diseased ridden. Then she looked up at Emma and shook her head.

"Oh, you're coming with us."

"You can't make me."

The blonde mischievously chuckled. "Are you scared?"

Regina crossed her arms.

"That's preposterous ."

"It's okay, mom, you can sit next to Emma, I'm not scared." Henry very innocently suggested and Regina's mouth gaped.

"You heard the kid."

The roller coaster slowed to a stop and Emma reached for Regina's arm, tugging her towards it.

They sat in the previously selected seats, Henry contently by himself whilst Regina shrugged the farthest away from the blonde, gripping the side handler until her knuckles turned white.

"Who'd know you'd be such a scaredy-cat?" Emma scoffed.

"Well, _I'm sorry_ if I don't have a death wish."

"Don't worry," The blonde glimpsed at her. "You heard _our son_, I'll protect you."

Regina's head snapped to her and she bit her tongue not to lash out about how Swan isn't allowed to use her own words against her.

She regretted them as soon as they slipped, anyway.

It just came out.

When the cars jolted forward then slowly started moving, Regina released a muffled yelp and instinctively gripped the blonde's upper arm for barely a second until she realized it and retreated.

Emma smiled, glanced at Regina's hand - that now clasped the seat - and she gently slid hers on top of it, feeling her wince at the touch, and then slowly relax.

As soon as they dropped, the mayor held onto that hand for dear life.

The ride did not go by smoothly. Regina tensed, shut her eyes and clenched her jaw all the way through it. She dug her nails into Emma's skin, profusely and inwardly cussed while uttering the word 'no' more times than the blonde could count.

When they stepped off of it she had to lean over a streetlight in order to soothe her stomach, swearing to never riding one of those hell rides ever again.

Emma laughed and told her she most definitely would.

Henry chose the next, which honestly seemed like nothing compared to what they had just gone through. So, Regina obliged, saying that if she were to die of a heart attack, she may as well do it now in order to end the misery of having to go through any further rides.

Again, the women sat together while Henry rejoiced on having a seat all to himself.

This time, it was Regina who reached out for Emma's hand, tapping lightly on its back as she looked the opposite way and let the blonde lightly lace her fingers with hers.

The process repeated itself on the following ride.

As they sliced through the air, upside down, then tilting sideways, Emma was the one who was tightening her grip. Regina kept quiet and tense.

Until the blonde spoke and her eyes peeled open.

"I need to tell you something, but I need you to _not freak out_!" She shouted through the screams and chants of the rest of the people.

"Now?!"

"Yes! Before I lose my nerve."

Regina nodded and waited.

Emma blabbered something incredibly fast.

"What?!"

"I said- I said that two years ago I-" She checked if Henry was paying attention. "I got pregnant."

The mayor's jaw dropped.

She what?

"You _what_?!"

"Don't make me say it again, for Christ's sake." She grumbled and suddenly the ride didn't seem so frightening anymore. Instead, her fear fed off of Regina's reaction. She scooted closer to insure that Henry wouldn't hear. "A client, he… he raped me. I know it seems stupid but he did. And he didn't wear protection. Turns out it was his fantasy."

Regina listened. "Did you file a complaint?"

"Yeah, I went to the police and said 'so I'm an escort and a client raped me'." She mocked. "Of course not."

The ride took an abrupt turn and they groaned.

Henry woohoo'd.

"What happened to the… pregnancy?"

"I did what I had to do."

Regina moved even closer, pressing her side against Emma's, watching her lips in order to understand every word.

"Did you go to a clinic?"

She nodded.

And Regina nodded back, soothingly running her thumb over the back of her hand.

It was a silent gesture of non-judgmental understanding and Emma could finally breathe again.

When it stopped and they got out, Henry slipped between them and laced his arms around both their waists.

"Can I have a corn dog?"

Regina chuckled. "You're taking advantage of Miss Swan being here to do everything I never let you do, aren't you?

"Maybe." He flashed his teeth. "Maybe I just like it when we're all together. You know, the three of us."

His mothers glanced at each other and Emma caught the ghost of a glimmer in the corner of the mayor's eye.

After getting the corn dogs, they decided to take a slow walk, "To enjoy the sun." Regina had said, but she really just needed a break from the devil's rides.

"Emma!"

A high pitched voice sounded and a perky young woman skipped towards them, taking the blonde into a strong hug before pulling back with bright eyes.

"Hey, Ruby."

Regina inwardly grumbled and fisted her pockets.

"You having fun over here? This is great isn't it?"

"It really is, thank you again." Emma smiled.

A little too brightly for Regina's liking.

Ruby dropped to her knees in front of Henry.

"How about we go get some cotton candy?"

Regina opened her mouth in protest, but Emma cut her short.

"He'd love to! Isn't that right kid?"

Henry beamed and turned to Regina, waiting for the green light.

She rolled her eyes.

"You can go."

"Sweet!" He took Ruby's hand and they happily took off.

Emma turned to face the mayor.

"How about we take a walk? Ruby has my cell number just in case."

Regina bobbed her head.

"I could use a break, anyway."

So, they walked to a quieter place. They took silent, languid steps, taking in the warm breeze that flowed through their hair and calmed their still slightly trembling bodies from the adrenaline.

It was only when they sat side by side in a bench that Regina broke the silence.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"Confiding in me about the abortion."

Emma cringed and fiddled with her fingertips.

"Yeah, well, I've been wanting to tell you for a while. I don't know why; just felt that the mother of my child should know." She chuckled.

Regina's eyes fell to her lap.

"I…" She started, biting her lip. "I was raped once too."

Emma immediately turned her torso towards her and her mouth gaped.

"When?"

"I was eighteen. My mother forced me into marrying someone I didn't love for monetary reasons." Her chin quivered. "He was old enough to be my father and he had a daughter. I knew at the time that I would only serve to be his personal… _release_. But I only quite realized it once he- well, once he raped me."

Emma kept quiet.

Suddenly, everything made sense. Every insecurity. Every evident fear.

Every wince, every reluctance, it all just… _clicked_.

And she understood.

So, instead of speaking, she threw an arm around Regina's shoulder and quietly pulled her closer until the mayor's arm draped over her waist and her head fit in the crook of Emma's neck.

They stayed comfortably in each other's embrace for long enough to start feeling the chill warning of sunset.

Emma called Ruby and once she dropped Henry off with them, they thanked her and decided it was time to head back home.

Their little boy fell asleep in the backseat, so Emma drove gently; exchanging fleeting glances with the woman next to her until the warm, orange light lulled Regina to sleep and she nodded off, only waking up once they pulled over at the mayoral mansion.

Emma took Henry in her arms, struggling past the stairs with Regina following and then, with her help, they undressed him until he woke up and grumpily put his own pajamas on.

They kissed him goodnight and then they shut his door, standing in the hallway that led to both their rooms.

"I have to admit," Regina leaned against the wall. "This was rather… pleasant."

"I told you it would be." The blonde murmured through a smile. "You need to start trusting me."

"Indeed I do."

Their eyes didn't seem to get enough of each other.

"Night, Regina."

Emma pressed forward against the mayor's torso and kissed her cheek, feeling as Regina's hands found their way to her shoulders.

She pulled back and the brunette's warm breath melded into her lips.

"Goodnight…"

Regina kissed the same spot near the corner of her mouth and watched as Emma beamed a smile before walking to her room and shut the door behind her.

She kept her stare locked on where emerald eyes had pierced through hers and she inhaled deeply, still feeling a faint trail of the blonde's shampoo before softly whispering.

"…Emma."


	11. Chapter 11

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

Emma had woken with the brimming sunlight seeping through her eyelids. She had woken with a lazy smile adorning her features and with a strange warm sensation of comfortableness.

The once vast and cold mansion had turned into the closest thing to _home_ she'd had in years.

Maybe it was the fact that Regina had let her peek into the darkest, most intimate corner of herself. Maybe it was the fact that her kid looked up at her with the most hopeful eyes she'd ever seen.

Maybe it was the fact that she'd started to grow accustomed to having a _life_.

Either way, it felt full and accommodating in opposed to the shallow, empty apartment that awaited her in Boston in two days.

She shook the thought. It didn't sit well and she was in too much of a good mood to taint it with unwanted sensations of loneliness.

So, she dressed herself and quickly drove to take Regina her mid-morning coffee, stopping at Granny's first to pick it up.

"Rubes, can I get the usual please."

The waitress stopped patting a plate dry to look up at Emma and lean over the counter.

"So, did you kiss?"

The blonde's jaw dropped.

"That's not the usual."

"Oh, come on, Emma," Ruby cooed. "You ask me to babysit Henry at the park and I don't even get to know the details?"

She lowered her voice. "And why would the details include me and Regina kissing?"

"You may be able to fool yourself, Emma, but you're not fooling me." She widely grinned. "I see how it is."

"And how's that?"

"First, you're the only one who actually _wants_ to spend time with her. And second, well, I may or may not have seen you two snuggling on that bench."

Emma's eyes bulged and she pressed her index finger to her lips, shushing.

"We weren't… snuggling. We were just, tired and- Did Henry see us?"

"Nah, I took care of it." She whipped up an eyebrow. "So, do you _looooove_ her?"

"Ruby, the coffee." The blonde sneered, dismissing the tingling feeling of nervousness boiling in her stomach and gulping it down.

* * *

"Good morning."

Emma knocked twice before slipping through the door and approaching the mayor's desk.

"Miss Swan," Regina ripped her eyes from the folder to meet glimmering emeralds, reaching for the coffee in the blonde's hand. "I could _really_ get used to this."

Emma's stomach wrenched and electric hope shot through her chest. Her lips curled upwards.

"You could?"

Regina gulped the liquid and nodded.

"Of course, I'm beginning to depend on it."

The blonde chuckled, furrowing her eyebrows.

"We could work something out, I mean-"

"I'm afraid I don't have the luxury to leave the office at this hour just to get myself a cup of coffee, Miss Swan, no matter how much I need it."

_Oh_.

Emma's face fell, her insides tightened and everything in her sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you'll have to drop the habit."

She slipped on a smile, but Regina watched her and she spoke.

"Everything alright, dear?"

"Everything's great, I just-huh, I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Emma shot from the chair and rushed out.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, idiot, how could've she thought that Regina _actually_ wanted her to stay?

She was a problem. She was just an uncomfortable rock in Regina's shoe that would soon be shaken out. In two days to be exact.

She'd never thought about the week ending, on the contrary, she was too worried about surviving it to even consider the possibility of feeling sad when it reached its end.

She should've known better than to get comfortable.

"Hey," She stopped abruptly, practically crashing against the man standing in her way. "Emma."

She looked up, annoyed. "Graham, sorry." She tried to go around him but he persisted.

"You haven't called me back since the other day." He said, grinning. "I was kind of hoping we could grab a cup of coffee."

"Yeah, Graham, I don't think that's a good idea." She tilted her head apologetically. "I mean you and Regina have your thing and I-"

"Oh, no that's… virtually over." He brought his hands to cradle his hips. "I think she's made it quite clear."

Emma frowned.

"But weren't you two together like two days ago?"

He nodded. "Yes, but nothing actually happened. She's… complicated. I'm pretty certain it's over."

Her jaw dropped and she glanced back at Regina's door as if trying to remember exactly their conversation that night.

"_Nothing_ happened?"

"No, that's why I called you. I knew you felt uncomfortable with my arrangement with her, so, when it ended, I figured you'd accept my invitation."

Emma wasn't so sure if what had lodged in her throat was relief or… well, she had no idea.

"Excuse me."

She spun back and strutted towards the office, shutting the door behind her as she entered.

Regina glanced up at her.

"Yes, dear?"

"You, huh-" Emma pulled a chair to sit opposite her. "You and Graham, I mean, could you elaborate on that?"

Regina recoiled, crossing her legs and running her gaze through the pile of folders.

"On what, exactly?"

"The other night, when you were with him." Emma said, leaning further towards the brunette. "You told me it had gone well, I assumed it meant that… you know."

The mayor watched her, mouth agape, and eyes filled with confusion.

"What's your point, Miss Swan?"

"What happened that night?"

Regina sipped the coffee, holding the cup with both her hands.

"I think it's pretty self-explanatory though I could provide you a drawing if you'd like."

"Graham told me you didn't have sex." She blurted and watched as Regina tensed, pushing her chest onwards as if it would intimidate Emma.

"You've been talking to Graham?"

"No, no, he just, he asked me why I didn't return his call and then he told me-"

There was a knock on the door and a head peeked in.

"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor," The guy's stare switched between them before glancing at his watch. "We have a meeting scheduled for this hour."

"Yes, come in, Miss Swan was just leaving." She stood and gestured towards the door.

The blonde pierced Regina's eyes and was met with a hint of hesitance tangled with regret, wondering if she'd ever find someone that embodied both intense vulnerability and strength as beautifully as she did.

* * *

"Kid, I need to ask you something."

Emma had decided to pick Henry up from school, leaving the mayor to her meetings and paperwork and at the same time getting the chance to talk to him.

"Shoot."

She fisted her jean's pockets and gulped the knot in her stomach.

"Don't get _any_ ideas, okay? I'm not asking this because it's what's going to happen, I'm really just curious. Promise me you won't get excited."

He nodded.

"I promise."

"_If_ I were to ever decide to stay here in Storybrooke… How would you feel about that?"

His tiny little eyes beamed at her.

"I would love that!"

"Really?" She couldn't help a small smile.

"Of course! You're my mother."

"Regina's your mother."

"You _both_ are."

"Thanks, kid." Emma ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. "I'm still not staying, though."

"We'll see."

She furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'm serious, don't get any hopes. It's not just up to me you know? There's your mother and-"

Henry chuckled, looking up at her. "She probably wants you to stay more than I do."

She stopped, turning to him and leaning down as if she had heard him wrong.

"Why would you think that?"

"I'm ten, not stupid." He stated with a mischievous grin adorning his lips. "My mom, she… she hasn't been like this in a long time."

"Like how?"

"Almost... happy. She smiles now like she used to when I was little. I think she smiles because of you."

Emma's cheeks brimmed red and hope.

"And it doesn't bother you? That she's happy because of me?"

He shook his head.

"Of course not. She lets me eat candy now and everything."

Emma smiled and wrapped his shoulder, urging him to move forward towards the mansion.

If even Henry saw it, then it must've been true right?

Regina could be happy because of her.

She could be her source of joy.

She could. And that launched her into thoughts that she'd been repressing ever since she first laid eyes on the mayor.

* * *

Emma had decided not to drop the conversation from that morning.

She knew Regina had lied and she'd rip a confession out of her or she'd die trying.

Alright, maybe not _die_ but she would get slapped trying. Or elbowed.

Either way, after finishing dinner and ensuring that Henry was settled in his room, she pulled the mayor towards her study and prepared each a drink.

"I see you've made yourself at home, Miss Swan." Regina sneered, crossing her legs after sitting on the couch.

Emma simply smiled and handed cup, sitting opposite her.

"We didn't get to finish our talk."

"Talk?"

"The Graham thing."

Regina rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Right."

"I'm leaving in two days, Regina."

The sudden statement left the mayor at a loss for oxygen. The words seeped into her chest and wrapped her lungs in a freezing embrace.

The realization didn't sit well.

So, she gulped and nodded.

"I know."

"Then, just be honest with me. What have you got to lose, anyway?"

Emma locked their stares into an overpowering trance as if she could travel into those brown orbits to swim around in unspoken thoughts.

Regina practically crumbled.

"What do you want to know?"

"Did you have sex with him that night?"

She sighed.

"No."

"Have you had sex with him since I got here?"

"No."

Emma released a breath she'd been holding, feeling more relieved than was probably deemed appropriate, and it showed.

It showed all over her face, which caused the mayor to smile.

"You find out I lied to you and _that_ is your reaction?"

"I lied too." Emma blurted, moving to sit next to Regina.

"About what?"

"The client that night, I couldn't go through with it."

Regina did not look relieved. On the contrary, she looked almost furious.

She shot up, threw a menacing glare and snapped her hands to her waist.

"You _lied_ to me?"

Emma's jaw dropped.

"You lied to me too!"

"My lie doesn't affect you! My lie is just that for you, a _lie_, nothing more, nothing less." She shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Do you understand what _your_ lie did to me?"

Emma calmly stroke the air. "If you tell me, I will! And who says your lie didn't affect me?"

"Well, did it?!"

She hesitated, parting and closing her lips more times than necessary before finally whispering.

"Yes."

Regina slowly walked towards her, only stopping once she got so close Emma was sure to feel two arms enveloping her neck. Instead, she felt only the distant heat of a body she longed for and two eyes coated by a sheet of tears burning through her.

Then, a whisper.

"Why?"

She bit her lower lip and strangled the impulse to pull that woman against her.

"Why do you think?"

Regina inhaled sharply, melting into Emma's stare as she lifted a hand to the blonde's nape, tangling tentative fingers through soft curls.

If only everything were just a little simpler, or if she weren't so aware of hoe damaging feelings can be, or if her past didn't haunt her day and night, maybe _then_ she could just let go.

Maybe then.

But unfortunately, that was not the case.

So, as if it would somehow soothe the scorching agony that punched through her stomach, Regina moved forward and kissed the corner of Emma's lips on the same spot as the first time.

Emma unconsciously reached for her hips, digging her fingers on the soft fabric of Regina's crimson blazer, tugging her so their torsos would flush.

The mayor pulled back, nudging the tip of Emma's nose with her own before releasing from the blonde's hold to walk to the door.

She was stopped by a hand grasping her arm, spinning her around in a swift movement so that their bodies clashed.

Regina then watched Emma dip her head towards hers, catching her lips and wrapping her in a tight embrace as they kissed in the most beautifully destructive way.


	12. Chapter 12

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

Regina's lips felt plump and sweeter than anything Emma had ever tasted. They melted into hers and the heat caused by unresolved tension fused them together, not wanting to part or the blonde feared it could be the first and last time she'd ever kiss that mouth.

So, when Regina pulled back to draw in a shaky breath, she kept her eyes shut hard, already bracing herself for the distance that would surely seep in between them.

It never did.

Instead, the brunette regained contact and moved against her mouth in a more eager manner, making it clear it was not only Emma who felt as if she'd burst into flames solely from a simple kiss.

Regina Mills crumbled into her touch, losing herself in everything she had denied for _so_ long, savoring Emma as if she'd dissipate otherwise and needing the closeness that came with that gesture.

Once the moment sunk in, Regina tilted her head further, urging the blonde to deepen the kiss and parting her lips only the slightest to test the waters. Emma saw the green light and took it, softly slipping her tongue into the other woman's mouth to caress it in gentles strokes.

Their senses overflowed with longing and the mayor felt the lonesome tear trickling down her cheek being quickly wiped by Emma's hand cupping her face.

They kissed their way to the couch, Regina's palms tip-toeing up to the blonde's nape as Emma's laced around her waist, bringing their bodies close.

They only stopped when Emma felt the cushions hit her calves and she spun so she could gently lay between the mayor's legs, feeling a strangled moan bounce off of her lips.

Hands found their way around each other's body, savoring every curve and dip, wandering about the small of Emma's back, heaving through dark hair, tugging a thigh up to warp around the blonde's torso and slipping beneath fumbled fabric in order to touch burning skin that rose to meet Regina's fingertips.

There was not one second where it felt wrong.

It was as if Emma's kiss had somehow sucked the darkness of her mind, as if it had enclosed the bad memories in a tight grasp and smothered them to death.

Regina allowed herself to touch and be touched in ways she'd never known to be so amazingly right.

They slowly discarded their clothes, Emma taking special attention not to overstep any line, and were soon claiming each other's newly found flesh with soft kissing and teeth scrapping.

The way their naked bodies fitted so well with each other felt like nothing of this world.

Sure Emma had had her fair share of experiences with women, but, to be quite frank, none could even begin to compare to the deliciously complex one she was having with Regina Mills.

Her hair was laced between the mayor's fingers while she carefully adventured to lower her touch, stroking Regina's inner thigh as their tongues danced around each other.

Emma felt Regina's obliterate moan slip into her.

So, she crumbled into the thrill and dug her fingertips within the mayor's soaking folds, faintly whimpering as nails stabbed her nape in a surge of anticipation.

Regina was far beyond the poignant memories and agonizing traumas. She was there, shuddering under the blonde's touch, clinging to her, allowing her into long forgotten pathways and holding her hand through and through.

Regina was all there.

She was looking into those green eyes, locked in the perpetual trance they had been in ever since they first glimpsed into each other. And that faint glimmer of hope was masked by the dark deepness of lust that sunk into Emma as she slid her fingers through the brunette's aching spot.

She paused for a confirmation which then came to her in the form of a passionate kiss.

Then, Emma buried her fingers into Regina, relishing the delicious sounds she got in return and holding the mayor tighter as she slowly moved within her. There was no rush, no need for a quick release, on the contrary, they savored each second due to the very present knowledge that it could be their only chance to.

Regina followed the blonde's lead and also reached for her throbbing center, swallowing her moan as she captured her lips and whispered a faint 'Emma'.

They created a rhythm and there were only sounds of skin on skin, lips on lips and pleas on whimpers. The fluidity of their movements suggested a new level of intimacy and the thought left Regina breathlessly closer to the edge, fluttering her eyes shut as liquid heat flowed through her veins to lodge between her legs, all the while causing her to tighten around Emma's fingers and her urgent moans elicited the same response from the blonde.

It didn't take long before Regina met her release, writhing beneath Emma's body, clinging to her as she triggered the blonde and they held onto each other, trembling, sinking teeth and nails between gasps.

Once they came down from their high, their bodies relaxed, intertwined, tired limbs lazily tracing patterns over the other one's skin as their mouths met in languid kisses.

There were no words needed, nor thought of or over planned. There was only comfortable silence and the exchanged looks of tenderness.

They only spoke after their hearts stilled and breathing returned to normal. Emma noticed the slight quivering of the mayor's body and risen goose bumps and suggested they'd go up to their rooms, to which Regina avidly agreed, feeling a sudden chill wrap her body as the adrenaline worn off.

They covered themselves enough to appear half decent - even if their disheveled hair suggested otherwise - and it was when they reached the corridor and Emma said goodnight to then enter her room that Regina caught her arm and tugged her to her suite.

Emma grinned from ear to ear and followed suit.

* * *

Much like any other night, Regina Mills slept with the French doors of her balcony yanked open. The sun now shone through the thin curtains as they swayed with the warm breeze, washing over her while she blissfully rested wrapped in her mulberry silk sheets.

If she had been awake, she would've felt the mattress dip when Emma sat next to her body.

She would've felt the gentle touch of tentative fingers tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear.

She would've felt the same hand slide down her naked arm to rest over her waist.

Then, the warm kiss that Emma pressed to her lips.

And had seen the glimmering sheet of tears coating emerald eyes that blinked away the will to cry as the blonde carefully stood, reaching for her bag to then remove a card and a pen.

She scribbled across it and folded it in half so it would hold up on Regina's nightstand.

After taking one long, last look at the woman she'd grown to care for so incredibly deeply, Emma gulped the knot in her throat, threw her bag over her shoulder and left.

Regina rolled onto her stomach and draped an arm around the empty spot beside her.

* * *

She woke with the brimming sunlight seeping through her eyelids, groaning sweet sounds of a night well rested as she turned to the face the source of her most deserved grin.

When Regina fluttered her eyes open, she expected to find golden locks and glimmering emeralds staring back at her. Instead, she was faced with the usually cold and empty spot.

She jolted to her elbows, frowning disappointedly before scanning the room for a female figure. She found nothing until her eyes landed on a neatly folded white card on her nightstand, recognizing it immediately upon seeing the familiar title 'Bounty Hunter' in heavy bold and the name Emma Swan written across.

Regina hesitantly reached for it and pulled the top part up.

She silently mouthed the written words.

_Thank you_.

Her eyes bulged and she shot from the bed, slipping on her robe before storming into the corridor and yanking the guest room's door open.

The bed was neatly made and the floor void of dirty laundry.

She then flew down the stairs, trying to shush her thoughts long enough to catch a breath, and walked through the kitchen, finding her son eating pancakes with his backpack at his feet.

"Henry, where's Emma?"

He looked up at her with a dull glimmer of disappointment.

"She left."

Her jaw slackened and she narrowed her eyes.

"She _what_?"

"She said she had to go back to Boston a little earlier to catch up on work." He shrugged. "Didn't she tell you?"

Regina's stomach dropped to her feet and her lungs sunk into her ribcage.

"No, she-she didn't." She shook her head and pointed at his plate. "Did you make those?"

"Emma did. She left those for you."

Her eyes met a plate set next to Henry's with three pancakes piled on top of each other.

The little boy watched her intently, climbing down from his chair to walk up to his mother and wrap his arms around her waist.

"I'll miss her too."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** Don't worry, I won't keep them apart for long ;) (afterall I am not Eddy nor Adam).

* * *

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

Regina held Henry in her arms while fighting back tears that pushed for freedom.

How ridiculous it was for someone like her to crumble over someone like _Emma Swan_ - a woman she had met in the most awkward circumstance, a woman she despised with every ounce of her being, that crawled under her skin and shot anger through her veins.

How _pathetic_ it was.

She felt the shame of abandonment seeping into her like the venom of loneliness that would soon consume her. She could feel it already.

So, Regina clung to the only one she had left, even if he didn't love her anymore, even if he wanted nothing more but to get away from the life they built together and that she cherished with all her soul.

She was content with simply holding on to that illusion of happiness.

But now, the once gaping hole in her heart that had been filled with trust and intimacy was emptying again.

She should've known better than to give someone the power to make her _feel_.

Regina barely registered the thirty minutes that followed.

She saw her son waving goodbye before leaving to school and simply stood there, taking in the emptiness of the mansion before bringing herself to climb the staircase.

As she walked by the guest room her heart wrenched tighter and she gulped the knot clogging her throat; then entered her suite, shut the door and threw her back against it, dropping to her knees.

She felt the opposite of numb, as if every emotion she'd been smothering had suddenly decided to suffocate her and, without even realizing it, her chin began to quiver through strangled whimpers.

Why did she even _care_? It's not as if she wasn't aware that Emma would leave. Maybe what bothered her was the fact that she left without a fair warning. Or that she left a day earlier. As if their night had been so unbearably _disgusting_ to her that she had to leave the first chance she got.

Maybe Regina disgusted her.

She groan in her own agony and brought her hands to cover her face.

A shower would help.

* * *

Emma regretted her decision the moment she stepped into her apartment.

It was empty, void of any emotion or history. It lacked soul, it was simply _there_.

Just a roof over her head.

She felt the cold sting of solitude once she entered her room and dropped her bag carelessly on the dark carpet.

It had been for the best. It really had, Emma knew Regina didn't want her to stay. And she _knew_ there was no way in hell she could ever say goodbye to that woman.

God, she wanted to have stayed.

But she knew better. Henry was better off without her there to screw him up and Regina was better off without her there to hurt her.

She was broken enough as it is.

Emma would only have brought more misery into her life.

That night had changed her. Everything had changed, the whole damn week had been dramatically life-changing and she knew – oh, she _knew_ – that Regina Mills would be bad for business.

And she was.

How was she supposed to carry on her lifestyle after the glimpse she had into the life she most wanted?

How in the world was she supposed to spend the rest of her life lost in a façade of meaningless sex and worthless money that served only to fill the gap that that damn woman had created?

Emma was fine before Regina came along! She was doing just fantastic.

She had quit the gambling and the bets.

She had managed to pay all of her debts.

She had a stable job instead of having to constantly move from city to city.

Her past was _past_, it didn't haunt her, it didn't matter, nothing did! What did she have to lose?

Now all she cared about was opening up, coming clean, telling all of her darkest secrets to Regina because she _understood_, she was as broken as she was.

If not more.

They could've fixed each other.

They could've been happy.

But now everything was gone. Just like that.

She sincerely wondered what was worse: going through her life not knowing what she was missing, or catching a fleeting glimpse of perfection only for it to slip through her fingers.

The aching organ beating through her ribcage was not fond of the later.

But did she regret it?

Not even for half a second.

Meeting Regina Mills had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

"That's not important," Henry cocked his chin and twirled his half empty cup of hot chocolate. "We need to do something, it's been two weeks."

Ruby leaned over the counter, smiling at how the little boy seemed to have grown in such a short period of time.

"We can't force them into being together, Henry." She lulled, ruffling his hair. "If Emma wanted to come back she'd be here already."

"No, you don't understand!" His tiny voice raised. "Emma _does_ want to be with my mom, she just-she doesn't admit it, but she does. I know it."

"Even if she does, maybe Regina doesn't want to be with Emma."

"They're each other's true love." Henry sipped from his cup. "The _savior's_ job is to save people. Who needs saving more than the evil queen?! Emma can break the curse and cure the queen's heart, then _everyone_ gets their happy ending."

Ruby giggled and decided to indulge him.

"If they're each other's true love, wouldn't the curse have been broken already?"

"No, because Emma doesn't know she's the savior yet. She needs to believe. But first, she needs true love."

The redhead nodded, listening attentively.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"We have to figure out a way for them to see each other again. I'll talk to Mary Margaret, she can help too. Let's call it… Operation Boston. No, that's too obvious, it's Operation… Operation Parent Trap. Like the movie!"

Ruby chuckled.

"You're the boss! How about you go to school before your mom figures out you're skipping?"

Henry slipped from his tall chair and beamed an excited smile before throwing his backpack over his shoulder.

"I'll come back tomorrow with Mary Margaret so we can talk about Operation Parent Trap, your homework is to start thinking of ways for them to see each other."

"I have homework now?" The waitress snapped a playful hand to her waist.

"I'm the boss remember?"

He skipped through the diner and Ruby smiled to herself, noting how much he resembled both Emma and Regina at the same time.

The kid deserved a happy ending more than anyone.

And so did his mothers.


	14. Chapter 14

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Don't you dare look back  
Walk away  
_

* * *

The door swung open and a boy dashed into the diner, practically tumbling sideways as his backpack beat him to it.

"She's coming!"

Ruby immediately jolted from the counter and snuck a hesitant glance at Mary Margaret, who sat on a tall chair with a book covering her face up to the nose.

Convincing the mayor would be impossible. She knew it and the teacher knew it but how could they disappoint poor little Henry?

He _needed_ this. He needed the belief that things could be different, that there was more to life than a simple corner of Maine, that there was some heroic mission that he needed to step up to and achieve triumph.

He was a boy with the brightest imagination anyone had ever seen.

So, he ran towards the kitchen and pressed his ear against the door, waiting.

* * *

Regina was all too aware of the dark dips beneath her eyes.

Sleeping had turned into a chore. As if the continuous feeling of sickening emptiness that haunted her during the day wasn't quite enough, now it had seeped into her dreams, causing distressing nightmares where she ran and ran into endless void, always calling out for someone who never called back. She would always wake up in the middle of the night breathless and sore of how tightly her muscles tensed.

Her usual order at Granny's consisted only of two words: "Coffee, black", it had become her source of strength, she could only function once she'd had her fix to fuel her synapses.

Hands shoved deep into her jacket's pockets, knee-high boots clacking on the dry pavement, she absent-mindedly made her way to the diner. Even mid-July, she felt naked without a jacket.

She pulled the door open and headed to her usual seat.

Had she looked up, Regina would have seen Ruby nervously patting a cup dry while exchanging apprehensive looks with Mary Margaret.

But she didn't. Instead, she sunk on the chair next to her son's teacher, pulled her phone out, burned her stare through the screen and mumbled.

"Coffee, black."

"Coming right up, Miss Mills."

Ruby shot a dagger through Mary Margaret and mouthed _"your turn"_ before turning to the coffee machine.

Even in such a wrecked state, Regina Mills intimidated her to her very core.

She cleared her throat once.

Then, twice, and nearly shrunk two sizes when the mayor ripped her stare from her phone to meet hers.

"Good morning, Madam Mayor, I-I've been meaning to talk to you about Henry…" She swallowed her lungs. "He's been showing concern for you."

As if the sun had cleared every cloud above her head, Regina's expression lightened.

"For me?"

Taking it as a good sign, the teacher's nerves calmed.

"Yes! He's been talking to me, saying that you haven't been feeling well, that you seem a little-" She hesitated. "A little- sad, maybe."

The mayor narrowed her eyes.

"He _told you_ that?"

"I know it's none of my business. He just seemed very, _very_ worried about you. I figured I'd let you know."

She glanced at Ruby who did not show any hurry with the coffee.

"Has he… mentioned anything else?" Regina murmured with that raspy tone of tiredness.

"Well, he did say that he wished he could find a way to help you relax." She spoke loud enough for Ruby to scurry back and place the coffee in front of the mayor.

"Relax?" The waitress leaned over the counter, channeling her perky self in order to remain gathered. "There's this really chill bar just an hour away. It opened like a week ago and rumor has it Russell Crowe hangs out there every Friday."

"Oh, yeah, that new fancy bar! I've heard of it, it's called _Cygnus Reina_ and, supposedly serves the _best_-"

"May I ask exactly _why_ you're telling me all this?" Regina cut through, pursing her lips. Those two talked way too much and she had slept far too little.

They gulped in almost unison and Ruby was the first to speak.

"I thought I heard you wanted to relax? I just happen to know a lot of places."

"And Henry, he would really appreciate it if you made an effort. He just wants you to feel better. I can babysit if you need."

Regina barely had to time to formulate an answer before Ruby pulled put a piece of paper, scribbled on it and stuck it in the mayor's face.

"Here's the address. Just in case you're up for it."

She took it and glided a glance over the words before looking back up.

"I wouldn't count on it."

Regina shot up, threw the money over the counter and strode towards the exit.

"That was awesome!" Henry burst through the kitchen door with his fists above his head, immediately hugging Ruby as he saw her.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Henry, she said she's not going."

"Trust me, she's going. I know her." His lips pulled into a bright smile. "Operation Parent Trap: phase one was a _success_!"

* * *

"Are you doing something later?"

Emma glanced up from the register to meet the eyes of her newly formed friendship.

"You mean at three am when my shift ends?" She chuckled. "I was thinking about getting some sleep, but why?"

"Well, _if_ you didn't have plans I was thinking we could go out for a late night burger or a slice of pizza."

"That depends, Mind," She chewed on the inside of her cheek whilst keeping her hands busy with lose change that she was obviously no longer organizing properly. "You mean like a date?"

Mindy nodded vividly and snapped a hand to her waist as the other ran through long dark hair.

"Of course like a date. Have you looked at yourself? I've been checking out since your first day."

Emma grinned. "I've noticed."

"So? What do you say?"

What _would_ she say?

It's not like she was attached to anyone. It's not like she even thought about dating since… well, since _her_.

Quitting her old job had been the first step to getting her life together. Second step would be being able to stop thinking about her during every goddamn second of every day.

She hadn't quite managed to reach that one just yet. Maybe Mindy was the solution.

Maybe going back was the solution.

Except what would she be going back to? A woman she had fallen madly in love with but didn't reciprocate the feelings?

A woman who had screwed her up by somehow clutching onto her heart, entwining through her lungs and leaching into her veins?

She _breathed_ her in every sense of the word. She could feel her sanity slipping away with every thought, with every person that even remotely looked like her, she saw her _everywhere_ yet seemed like only a vision that never actually happened.

It's not like she was attached to anyone.

Except she was.

And it felt like cheating.

"I don't think it would be a good idea, Mind. But I'm flattered and I appreciate the enthusiasm."

"Oh, come on, what is it? You have a girlfriend?" She stepped closer with a devilish grin adorning her lips.

Emma inwardly cringed at the proximity.

"No, but I… I just got out of a complicated situation, I don't really feel like I'm-"

"Relax, honey, I get it." Mindy took a step back and Emma breathed. "If you ever feel like you're ready you know where to find me. Bar's opening up in ten."

Emma watched as she walked away. She watched her toned legs in a tight skirt, she watched her long waves of hair sway along with her hips.

She watched an attractive twenty six year old go and all that her mind pointed out were all of the ways in how she wasn't Regina Mills.

But the bar was opening up in ten, and she only hoped for the buzzing crowd to drown out her thoughts.

* * *

How she ended up driving through Maine half an hour into mid night to get to a bar called _Cygnus Reina_, Regina sincerely had no idea.

Maybe it had been because of how sad her son looked when he got home from school. Maybe it had been because of how tightly he hugged her, or because of how his eyes glistened when she asked what was wrong.

Or because of the way his tiny voice trembled when he said he wanted her to be happy.

Either way, she had called Mary Margaret, gotten herself into a fitted dress and black heels, and only registered what she was doing once she pulled up at the address.

A few people stood outside puffing on cigarettes and a faint muffled beat could be heard through the walls.

Regina inhaled the warm air as she exited her Mercedes and headed inside.

It was far bigger than she had expected. The lights were dimmed low and an orange atmosphere enveloped the walls. Lines of couches filled the left side whilst the right was reserved for tables and a small dance floor crowded with tipsy couples.

She took a deep breath and held her head high.

Being there only served as a way to let go a little. Maybe to forget the blonde that seemed to follow her every step. That became rather difficult as most women in there had golden locks and pale skin.

She shook the thought.

If she wanted to think about Swan she could've done that at home. Regina was there to _relax_.

And what better to help than a little drink?

* * *

"Hey, lovely, can I get a Screwdriver?"

Emma's eyes shot from one costumer to the next, landing on the loudest.

"Coming right up."

It was nearly impossible to be a barista with absolutely no help in such a widespread club, and though it was absolutely exhausting, the money was more than worth it.

Besides, she had experience.

"Emma, do you need a break?" Mindy spoke from the only empty spot at the right.

"Nah, but a little help wouldn't hurt."

To the delight of the young men surrounding them, the girl jumped over the counter and they whistled as her skirt left little to imagination.

Had Mindy been straight she would've had no problem in finding guys.

"What do you need?"

"A Screwdriver, a Godmother and a Bloody Mary."

Mindy quickly arranged everything she needed while Emma continued taking orders. The space was not enough for two people, but they managed, Mind also had experience as a barista, so she would help her from time to time instead of only serving tables.

When Emma leaned closer to hear a costumer, Mindy tripped and crashed against her, spilling the Godmother all over the blonde's shirt.

"Shit, shit, I'm so sorry, Ems."

The girl reached for a cloth and pressed it against Emma's chest, patting the shirt to absorb the liquid.

"It's fine, don't worry."

Some guy cheered.

"Yeah! Girl on girl!"

Emma had to strangle every impulse to throw her fist at his jaw.

* * *

The bar was cramped and a drunken idiot slurred way too loudly for Regina's liking.

But she'd driven an hour and though she had set a limit of one drink only so she could drive back, she most definitely deserved it.

And she'd get it. Besides, she knew how to work the cleavage into getting the attention of whatever guy was mixing.

She found a sliver of empty space and Regina slithered in, leaning on the counter and ready to order a delicious Appletini.

When her eyes landed on the barista, her stomach looped.

_Emma_.

Her jaw dropped.

It was not only Emma, it was Emma laughing along with who ever had her hands all over her chest.

It was as if time slowed into almost stilling and Regina froze when the blonde turned her head and their eyes met, sending an electric blast into her heart as its speed shot and it pounded through her ribcage, ready to rip from her body.

She watched Emma's laugh fade and lips mouthing a hushed "Regina".

Her legs practically crumbled, and immediate tears coated her eyes as a reflex, an idiotic reflex that she wished she didn't have.

And it was in that moment that when her brain regained the ability to process that it hit her.

This had been no accident.

Ruby and Mary Margaret suddenly showing care? She should've seen it right then and there.

When her muscles decided to obey, she spun and dashed to the door, hearing her own heartbeat thumping through her ears and trying to still her too rushed breathing or she feared she'd faint.

Emma finally reacted.

"Regina!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** Next chapter will be longer, I promise ;) (afterall we're all going to need something to lift our spirits after the captain swan shenanigans).

* * *

**Business Transaction**

By MissFaberrySuarez

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

The blonde abandoned her post and followed Regina out, only managing to stop her once they got outside and the mayor abruptly turned to her, slicing the air with a menacing gesture.

"I don't know what the hell you're doing, but if you think even for a second that this is remotely funny, let me tell you before you make an even bigger fool of yourself, Miss Swan, it is _not_."

Emma stood flabbergasted, alcohol dripping from the edge of her shirt and make-up filled eyes staring back at the woman she'd left behind.

"What _I'm_ doing?! You're the one who just showed up out of the blue!"

"I do hope you all get a good laugh out of this." Regina spun on her heels, ready to dash to her Mercedes and drive far away fast from the mess this had become.

She could not stand how _weak_ Swan made her feel.

"Regina, wait," The blonde followed, her heels clacking through the road. "What the hell are you talking about?"

They reached Regina's car and stopped. The mayor turned to face her.

"Just drop the act already. Were you really expecting me to believe that Miss Lucas just _happened_ to suggest _your_ bar out of chance? Who do you take me for?"

The blonde squinted as if it would somehow help her read that woman.

"Ruby? I haven't talked to her since before I left."

Regina shot daggers through her.

"Spare me."

Emma was genuinely confused. How on earth could this possibly be her fault? She'd left! She'd given Regina a chance for a better life, just as she did with Henry. It was all she knew. People were simply better off without her.

"Emma!"

Now Mindy had ran outside and stood ten feet from them. The blonde took a deep breath and fought the impulse to roll her eyes, all the while making sure Regina remained by her side.

"I'll be right there, Mind."

The waitress switched from foot to foot as she scanned the dark haired woman standing beside Emma.

"Is everything okay?"

Regina flared at her, scoffed and gripped the car door's handle only to be stopped by a hand to her wrist.

"Yeah, I won't be long."

The girl nodded and turned, sprinting back into the bar, leaving the two women in silence until Regina cut through it.

"Quite the possessive girlfriend you've got."

"She's not-"

"It's none of my business."

The mayor pulled the door open but Emma tightened the grasp on her wrist, causing her to look up and lock their stares.

Somehow, she couldn't let go.

"Don't leave so fast. Wait, let's talk, let's go somewhere."

Regina released a snarky chuckle, raising an eyebrow.

"It's too late for that."

"It's barely one in the morning, I'll ask the manager for the night off, I'll quit, whatever, let's just go. Please."

"I meant you should've thought about that before you left."

The words sliced through Emma and Regina knew it. She saw it. She saw those green eyes dim and smile grow dull. It didn't matter. Whatever guilt she inflicted on her, Emma deserved it.

"I left for _you_."

Another scoff.

"_Please_, don't expect me to indulge the idea that you care about anything other than yourself."

Emma's jaw dropped. It was as if that woman had the power to _literally_ stab her with vocabulary.

"Regina-"

"In fact, if you _truly_ cared, you would've taken the time to listen to what I want instead of deciding it for me." A sheet of tears slowly coated her eyes.

"It was not fair to you and Henry for me to have stayed. I'm a shitty person, Regina. With a shitty, empty life. With a shitty past and shitty morals."

"What wasn't fair was for me to wake up to a _shitty_ 'thank you' note and an empty bed, to then find my son alone in the kitchen sulking about how much he was going to miss you." Her voice dropped a full octave as she struggled with the knot in her throat. "_That_ was not fair in the slightest."

She could feel anger and disappointment rising to her face, boiling in the pit of her stomach, urging her to spit out every sentiment she'd been feeling for the past two weeks.

It was like word vomit. One she could no longer contain.

Emma shrunk two sizes and took it as furious waves splashing her across the chest.

All that time she was sure of her intentions. All that time she had only in mind Regina's welfare. All that frustration had been bearable because of the constant reminder that Regina would, in fact, be more content living a life as the _only_ mother, the number one, just as she was before Emma strolled into town and clawed her way into her life.

All that time she'd been wrong.

And _all that time_ Regina had suffered twice as much.

"I've hurt you." Emma mumbled, soothing the grip on Regina's wrist. "I'm sorry."

"Apology _not_ accept."

She pulled from the blonde's hold and lowered herself into her Mercedes but was again stopped by Emma catching her arm.

"Just hear me out. Just for once, hear me out and let me explain." She begged. "Give me a chance."

"_Miss Swan_-"

"I know everything in you is screaming for you to drive away but I promise I just want to explain why I did what I did." Her eyes landed on the mayor's lips as she spoke. "I never meant for you to get hurt. I didn't. Let me take out for pizza or something."

Regina bit her lower lip. Their proximity physically hurt. It was as if Swan's body had a sort of a magnetic pull and her muscles ached from trying to stay away.

She was hurt, that much was true. And she _hated_ Emma for leaving. She'd spend the last two weeks despising every bit of the blonde, wishing she could go back and undo that night, wishing she could've stayed away, resisted her, not given into her feelings and remained far from being weak.

But she didn't.

And this time was no different.

"Fine."


End file.
